The Hindu : National : Fernandes' charges are vicious: Congress

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Thursday, Oct 12, 2006
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Fernandes' charges are vicious: Congress

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Terming the former Defence Minister, George Fernandes' charge against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the Barak missile case "intemperate and vicious," the Congress said that instead of such attacks, Mr. Fernandes should defend himself with facts.

The party said that each time Mr. Fernandes was pushed into a corner due to his own acts, he made it a point to attack Ms. Gandhi. "These attacks are wild, false, unsubstantiated, motivated and vicious. Mr. Fernandes should face the process with facts and defend himself instead of launching vitriolic attacks on Congress president," Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said.

Unhealthy in democracy

The Congress condemned Mr. Fernandes' reference to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam having tendered an opinion on the Barak missile system in his capacity as Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Stating that such attacks were unhealthy in a democracy, the party said it could "expect no better from a person who, when faced with certain charges, stoops to such a level as to blame the President."

BJP's charge

against CBI

The BJP on Wednesday said that although the CBI had filed an FIR against former Defence Minister George Fernandes in connection with the Barak missile deal with Israel, the UPA Government had ordered "seven more Barak missile systems in January 2006."

The BJP said Mr. Fernandes had been an active and effective crusader against a corrupt Congress for the last four decades. Hence, the charges against him were politically motivated.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar charged the CBI with working to the directions of its political bosses, opening and shutting cases as it suited them.

While senior party leaders here were not prepared to vouchsafe for the honesty of the former treasurer of the Samata Party, R.K. Jain, they pointed to "40 years of integrity in public life" in the case of Mr. Fernandes.

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