I didn't dabble in defence deals: Brajesh Mishra

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, MARCH 19. Mr. Brajesh Mishra, beleaguered Principal Secretary to a beleaguered Prime Minister, today assertively refuted the insinuation in the Tehelka tapes that he had dabbled in defence deals. He also declared that there was no need for him to put in his papers. In particular, Mr. Mishra categorically denied the suggestion made by Mr. Bangaru Laxman, former BJP president, in the tapes (which had shown Mr. Laxman bragging that he could secure Mr. Mishra's attention in this or that defence deal).

Mr. Mishra made these assertions at an extraordinary press conference, where for the first time in recent years the entire top brass of the Prime Minister's Office appeared to answer allegations. Besides Mr. Mishra, the limelight was also on Mr. N. K. Singh, who has been operating as the Officer on Special Duty in the PMO since his retirement as the Secretary (in charge of economic affairs). Two other joint secretaries, Mr. Jarnail Singh and Mr. Jawed Usmani, were also present.

Explaining why it was necessary for the officers to seek media scrutiny, Mr. Mishra noted that normally the Government would have offered a defence/explanation in Parliament, but since the two Houses were not able to function (nor were likely to function), he felt obliged to say something in defence.

The Principal Secretary made three specific points. First, during the three years as principal secretary and during the 29 months he has been national security adviser, ``on no occasion has the Prime Minister spoken to me about defence purchases''.

Second, ``Mr. Bangaru Laxman has never spoken to me about any defence deal or about funding his political party with my help or that of PMO.'' In other words, Mr. Mishra came pretty close to calling the former BJP president a liar, but dignifiedly repeated his assertion and observed that only Mr. Laxman could answer the veracity of his babblings in the tapes.

Third, ``I do not know Mr. R. K. Gupta or his son and have not had any contact with them.'' (Mr. Gupta is identified as a RSS national trustee in the tapes).

Notwithstanding the confident tone in Mr. Mishra's opening statement, the questions from the floor betrayed the mediapersons' undiluted cynicism. Reflective of the fall in the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee's public standing were questions - perhaps for the first time in public - about the role of his foster son-in-law, Mr. Ranjan Bhattacharya.

``I have never seen Mr. Ranjan Bhattacharya in the PMO,'' was Mr. Mishra's response to a question about the alleged extra- constitutional role being performed by the foster son-in- law. To a follow-up question whether Mr. Vajpayee's foster son-in-law could be misusing his presence in the former's house, Mr. Mishra noted, factually but weakly: ``In my house my family members live; they do not become extra-constitutional authority.''

For good measure, Mr. Mishra made it clear he did not think he had done anything wrong or irregular or unlawfully that warranted his resignation. ``If it helps to strengthen the Prime Minister's hand, I will go,'' he said but quickly added that Mr. Vajpayee had not asked for his resignation. Nor, for that matter, was it imperative for him to give up one of the two hats he currently wore - that of the Principal Secretary and the National Security Adviser. He also deftly refused to join issue with the RSS chief, Mr. K. S. Sudarshan, who only yesterday had observed that the officers in the PMO were incompetent.

Mr. Mishra - as also Mr. N. K. Singh - took pains to impress that the PMO merely performed a coordination role and it was not there ``to dictate'' to the various ministries. In a detailed five-page note, the Government's position was explained in a number of recent controversial economic decisions. While this unusual essay in image-management did allow the PMO officials an opportunity to clear their names and reputation, it once again underlined the sense of tehelka-centric vulnerability within the Vajpayee establishment.

CJI to nominate retired judge

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 19. The Chief Justice of India, Dr. Justice A. S. Anand, today informed the Government that he was unable to nominate a sitting judge of the Supreme Court to probe the issues arising out of the Tehelka videotapes exposure, but said he would nominate a retired judge.

Following a Cabinet decision to order a judicial probe into the controversy, the Government on March 17 requested the CJI to recommend either a sitting or a retired judge of the Supreme Court, preferably a sitting judge, to function as a single-member Inquiry Commission.

The CJI, after consulting other judges, told the Government that in principle, sitting judges should not be spared for such inquiries. However, for nominating a retired judge of the apex court, the CJI would revert to the Government after finalising the name of such a judge.

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