Procedure fine, George raked defence scam: Cong

Two days after the Centre submitted an affidavit in Supreme Court stating there was no violation of procedures in the Kargil purchases, the ...

Two days after the Centre submitted an affidavit in Supreme Court stating there was no violation of procedures in the Kargil purchases, the Congress today sought to clarify its position by arguing that it had raised the issue of scandals and not the procedures involved in emergency purchases.

Party spokesman Anand Sharma said ex-Defence minister George Fernandes’ claim on being given a clean-chit was misleading. He said: ‘‘If he is talking about 1999 purchases, then we have never talked about guidelines but about scandals relating to them.’’

Sharma said

Congress was not questioning arms purchases made in an emergency like Kargil. It had raised the issue of irregularities in the purchases such as high prices were paid for them as compared to the market rates. He said certain guidelines were issued in 1992 for purchases of defence equipments, which were changed in 1999 and fresh guidelines were issued (post-Kargil period).

He said: ‘‘This affidavit is related to the 1992 guidelines.’’ He did not agree with the suggestion that Congress was engaged in damage control. ‘‘We are trying to correct the version put forth by Fernandes and the media,’’ he said.