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On August 5, Flt. Lt.
Shreya Shukla was killed when his MIG-21 fighter crashed at Palam airport,
Delhi. Ironically, he had come to celebrate ‘Vijay Divas’ in commemoration of
one year of Kargil. He was just one more dead pilot added to the long list of
pilots killed — not in action — but in ‘accidents’ caused by defective
aircrafts. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) tried to hide the truth by saying the
plane crashed due to a bird; but the lie was blown, when the airport authorities
stated there was no bird.
Besides, this was not
the first MIG-21 to crash. Since April 2000 one MIG-21 has been crashing ever 25
days and in the last three years 55 have crashed, killing 22 pilots. In these
three years the Indian Air Force (IAF) has lost more pilots, than in all the
three wars with Pakistan put together. Yet, not a word is raised. No
‘nationalistic’ emotions are aroused for these pilots. In fact, except for
Shukla, which could not be ignored as his death occurred in the heart of the
Capital City, the death of the other 21 pilots barely got any coverage in the
media. Compare this to the fortnight-long front page coverage given to the
‘brave’ pilot whose plane was shot down during the Kargil war. Obviously, for
the government, the pilot’s life is unimportant; what is important is the
political capital to be gained out of it.
In war the enemy is
responsible for the death of the pilots. But who is responsible for the death of
these 22 pilots ? The MoD and Army Chiefs being so preoccupied in striking deals
and making crores in kickbacks, they cannot be bothered about the poor
maintenance, lack of spares etc., which are the main cause for these planes to
crash. While Pakistan may have killed a few pilots during the three wars; the
Government of India has killed 22 of them in just three years ! It is they who
are responsible for defects in the aircraft, leading to the loss of lives and
crores to the exchequer. In fact the deal with Russia to upgrade the MIG-21 has
now been delayed by over 18 months. It is ofcourse too pre-occupied with
gigantic arms deals with Russia to bother about such petty amounts involved in
upgradation.
Inspite of the
successive visits to Russia, by Defence Minister Fernandes, Army Chief Malik and
the chiefs of the Navy and Air Force, never were the Russians asked to speed up
the upgradation process. They have been negotiating for the exorbitant T-90
Tank, an Aircraft Carrier, submarines, helicopters and the AEW&C (Airborne Early
Warning and Control) aircraft involving thousands of crores of rupees. It is
reported that since 1998, arms deals with Russia amount to $4 billion (Rs.
18,000 crores) yearly. Though the cash payments will be spread over a longer
period a large part of the kickback would already have been received at the time
of striking the deals. Quite naturally the upgradation of the MIG-21 has been
neglected. What matter if a few crash, and lives are lost !!
While the government
and media make much noise regarding the patriotism of the armed forces, in fact
its weaponry has badly suffered due to frauds, kickbacks etc., by the Defence
top brass and MoD. This has even been stated by a report of the Controller and
Auditor General (CAG). Not surprising the Army Chiefs raised a hue and cry
against the Central Vigilance Commission’s enquiry into defence deals. Why are
they so afraid, if they are as patriotic as they claim to be ? In fact they have
been buying sub-standard weaponry at inflated rates. And it matters little which
government is in power — the MoD and Defence Chief make fortunes. And with the
BJP government having massively increased budgetary expenditure on defence, the
kickbacks are even larger. No wonder Bofors, has been quietly shelved !!
So, let us look at
just part of the CAG Report :
* It says the Rs.
2,432 crores already spent on the Sukhoi 30 fighter is a dead investment. Only
12 have so far been delivered and have only a limited capability. The multi-role
aircraft, as per the agreement, was to be fitted with electronic equipments
manufactured by 1997/98 by the DRDO (Defence Research and Development
Organisation). This has not been done; and it is now planned to be imported at
inflated prices.
Besides the report
has also held the DRDO responsible for delays and shortcomings in other projects
as well, including the production of the Light Combat Aircraft, the Advanced
Light Helicopter, the Pilotless Target Aircraft, the Main Battle Tank, the
Remotely Piloted Vehicle, the AWACS etc.
* The MIG-29 deal
inducted into the IAF between 1986 and 1990 : This turned out to be substandard
.... Of the total of 188 engines available in the fleet, 139 engines (74%)
costing Rs. 326 crores failed prematurely and were withdrawn by 1992.
* EKM Submarine : The
seven EKM submarines bought in 1988 by the Navy at a cost of Rs. 120 crores
turned out to be substandard and highly under-powered vessels. The navy proposed
upgradation and modernisation of these vessels at a massive cost of Rs. 4,000
crores.
* Procurement of
Rifles : The 1,22,000 AK-47 rifles, and 500 lakh rounds of ammunition, ordered
in 1994 from a Bulgarian company was never delivered. Finally, on this Rs. 35
crore deal, the government had to spend an additional Rs. 16 crores to acquire
the rifles from Romania. Even these could not be immediately used as the
ammunition was not part of the second deal.
* Radar modification
: Of the 110 Superfedomous Radars, 50 were to be upgraded indigenously while for
60 the contract was given to the Swedish company Ericsson. While the former cost
Rs. 30 lakh per radar the latter cost Rs. 180 lakhs per radar, leading to an
additional expenditure of Rs. 208 crores.
* Despite the
political instability in Yugoslavia, the contract for purchase of Tank Fire
Control Systems was given to that country. The advance paid of Rs. 28 crores was
lost.
The list goes on. The
above frauds are the result of huge kickbacks received. The CAG report only
focuses on the frauds without pinpointing the culprits and inquiring into the
under-hand dealings. These have been published now, in order to shut the mouth
of the opposition parties, in case they raise their voice into the huge deals
now being struck by the BJP-led government, involving kickbacks of such gigantic
amounts that will make the above deals look like petty thefts in comparison.
Meanwhile, ofcourse
the ‘Vijay Divas’ Goebellian ‘patriotic’ noise will continue, while the same
mafia strike deals worth thousands of crores with the international arms
dealers. If a few Shuklas must be sacrificed to make the propaganda campaign a
success, that is of little concern to these merchants of death.
1-9-2000
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