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Bhagwat was sacked after reneging on compromise deal, say officials

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat was sacked as chief of naval staff because he first agreed to a compromise candidate for deputy chief, then reneged on the plan.

Top defence ministry officials said the appointments committee of the Cabinet had worked out a compromise formula whereby Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh, the government's candidate, and Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh, Bhagwat's choice, would both be transferred out of Delhi and a third candidate appointed deputy chief of naval staff.

Bhagwat initially agreed to the compromise, but later began raising objections to ensure that the post went to an officer of his choice.

The officials said that when Defence Minister George Fernandes learnt that Bhagwat had spurned the compromise formula, he "blew his top". It was just before Christmas that the minister decided the admiral would have to go.

Consequently, a couple of days ago, the defence ministry expunged the adverse remarks Bhagwat made against Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh. The officials underscored the fact that Vice-Adm Singh had gone to the Calcutta high court over the "communal nature" of the remarks.

Thereafter, the defence minister decided to relieve Bhagwat of his charge and also transfer Defence Secretary Ajit Kumar. Fernandes then tendered his own resignation to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee owing moral responsibility for the controversy raging in the ministry.

The political leadership, however, decided that while Fernandes's recommendations should be implemented, he should not resign.

Things began to move fast by Wednesday afternoon. The official communiqué removing Admiral Bhagwat was worded in typical bureaucratic jargon: "The President is pleased to withdraw his pleasure of your continuation in office as chief of naval staff with immediate effect under Article 310, Navy Act 1957 15 (I)." The communiqué was signed by Subir Datta, additional secretary, defence ministry.

The officials stressed that the order for Bhagwat's removal was not served immediately in an effort to avoid legal complications.

The same afternoon, Fernandes sent a special aircraft to Cochin to fetch Vice-Admiral Sushil Kumar for urgent consultations. Vice-Adm Kumar reached South Block by 5pm IST.

The vice-admiral was apparently nervous about what was coming and asked officials why he had been summoned. The defence minister's personal staff smiled at him, but said nothing.

He then entered Fernandes's office where the defence minister congratulated him warmly on his appointment as chief of naval staff with the rank of admiral.

While the drama was being enacted in the defence minister's office, Datta was signing the fateful order.

When Admiral Bhagwat read the order, he is said to have collapsed into his chair. At precisely 5.22pm, the new chief took charge.

The normal farewell message the outgoing chief gives his officers and men was drafted later since Bhagwat was too shaken to put it together at the time.

One defence ministry official said Bhagwat appeared to have been caught unawares by the development and refused to entertain any queries in this regard. He even rejected a suggestion that he call on Fernandes.

The Bhagwat dismissal

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