Tehelka charges made by drunken men: Fernandes

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, APRIL 1. The former Defence Minister and convener of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, Mr. George Fernandes, said most of the allegations raised in the tehelka tapes were ``made by drunken people.''

``Though I have not watched the tapes on TV, my friend and Union Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, told me that most of the time the tapes showed drinking sessions and people making wild allegations.''

At a joint press conference here on Sunday with the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, the former Minister, who quit following the expose, said the casual and reckless statements made by drunken persons could not be trusted. The tehelka journalists should have checked out the statements before exposing the tapes.

They had compromised on their journalistic ethics, particularly when they failed to double-check the facts, he hinted.

However, mediapersons countered the former Minister's claim and pointed out that the cameras did not lie.

This was proved by Mr. Bangaru Laxman's resignation as BJP president. Mr. Fernandes said he had taken special care in checking kickbacks in defence deals.

He had insisted that any deal above Rs. 75 crores should be scrutinised and this had helped to prevent corruption and kickbacks.

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