George Fernandes

Introduction

George Mathew Fernandes was a renowned Indian politician and trade unionist. From 1998 to 2004, Fernandes worked as the Defence Minister of India and was a constituent of the Lok Sabha for almost 30 years. He played a crucial part in the Janata Dal party and established the Samata Party. In acclaim of his assistance, he was posthumously awarded India's second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2020.

Fernandes was born in the beautiful city of Mangalore and afterward proceeded to Bangalore to become a priest. He then shifted to Bombay, where he joined a party that desired fair treatment for employees. Fernandes oversaw strikes and rallies in Bombay while serving for the Indian Railways.

George won an election against S K Patil from a political party in 1967. He also led a large strike by railway workers in 1974. During a time called the Emergency, Fernandes hid because he disputed the steps of the Prime Minister. But in 1976, he was charged and put on trial for being concerned in a lawsuit involving explosives in Baroda city.

In 1977, after the Emergency was over, George became a minister and told IBM and Coca-Cola to go from India. He also helped construct the Konkan Railway. Later, he was accused of defending himself during a fight with Pakistan. He won many elections and obtained a prize before he passed away in 2019 at age 88.

Early Life

George Fernandes was born on June 3, 1930, in Mangalore to a Catholic family. He had 5 siblings and went to school at St. Aloysius College. Despite his dad wishing him to become a counselor, George chose not to continue studying after secondary school because he didn't want to battle lawsuits for his dad, who evicted residents from their land. Instead, he proceeded to a seminary but left when he realized the priests were treated better than the students.

At 19 years old, George began working with exploited employees in the transport industry and resorts in Mangalore. He also served as an insurance agent and attempted various businesses, like selling shaving blades. His mentor was Ammembala Balappa, who assisted him in gathering hotel workers and laborers in the city. In 1949, Fernandes led sit-downs for Canara Public Conveyance workers and later became active with Placid D'Mello's trade unions in Bombay after shifting there in 1950.

Career

A Quick History of Participating in Elections

In 1967, George competed in the Lok Sabha election and defeated a prominent Congress leader in Bombay. He succeeded again from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, in 1977 while still in prison and became a minister. In 1984, he was defeated in an election in Bangalore but won from Nalanda in 1996, 1998, and 1999. He also worked as a constituent of the Rajya Sabha beginning in 2009.

Life in Bombay

After Fernandes completed his education, he proceeded to Bombay in 1949 to search for a job. It was difficult for him, and he had to sleep on the roads until he got a job as someone who checked for errors in The Times of India newspaper. He became buddies with Placid D'Mello and Rammanohar Lohia, who were administrators of a group that supported workers. Fernandes fought for workers' rights in small companies and helped commence unions in Bombay during the 1950s. He also went to prison because of problems with work controversies.

In 1961, he was elected as a constituent of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, where he advocated for workers' problems. Fernandes gained attention when he ran against S.K Patil and succeeded in the general election in 1967, earning him the nickname "George the Giant Killer." Nevertheless, by the early 1970s, his administration began to fade away.

1974 Railway Strike

Fernandes organized a substantial strike in 1974, bringing the nation to a standstill. The strike was induced by long-standing grievances of railway employees and a lack of improvement in their living situations.

Many other employees and protestors united the strike across various cities. The government reacted with arrests, imprisoning thousands of trade unionists. The strike was finally called off due to conflicts among those overseeing it. Despite its success, the strike also led to a sense of anxiety and insecurity, finally resulting in Indira Gandhi's imposition of the Emergency Era in 1975.

Emergency Era and Union Ministry

In 1975, during a state of Emergency in India, George Fernandes and other administrators disagreed with the government's misuse of power. Fernandes went into hiding to avoid detention, and his brother was tortured for data. In Baroda, Fernandes planned to use dynamite to develop scares near government headquarters and public gatherings without injuring anyone.

He was finally arrested in Calcutta on charges associated with smuggling dynamite. Amnesty International ordered legal access and security for Fernandes, while world leaders gave notice against harming him. The accused were later moved to Tihar Jail but never charged formally.

Union Minister and Muzaffarpur MP post-1977

In the 1977 elections in India, the Janata Party won against the Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi. Morarji Desai became the 1st non-Congress Prime Minister of India. George Fernandes, despite being in prison at the time, won a chair in Bihar by a big margin. He was nominated as Minister of Post and Telegraph and afterward became Union Minister for Industries. During his tenure, he conflicted with IBM and Coca-Cola over executing FERA regulations.

Fernandes also concentrated on women's empowerment and launched enterprises to develop employment in rural areas. In November 1978, he quit the government but continued serving for the Janata Party organization until he finally quit Morarji Desai's cabinet in July 1979.

Party Memberships and Railway Ministry

During his political career, Fernandes was involved in different parties and alliances. He communicated disagreement with the Hindu nationalist leaders in the Janata Party, which resulted in a split within it. After uniting other groups and contesting elections, he became Minister of Railways and played a part in the growth of the Konkan Railway task.

Eventually, he created the Samata Party, which united with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP-led coalition government stayed for 5 years as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Fernandes serving as its convenor.

Defence Minister

George Fernandes served as the Defence Minister of India during the Kargil War in 1999. The war broke out when Pakistan-backed intruders attacked the Indian side of the Line of Control, and Fernandes led Operation Vijay to push them back. Despite criticism for intelligence failures, Fernandes refused to acknowledge any shortcomings.

He also supported India's nuclear tests in 1998 and was involved in conflicts within the Indian Navy. After resigning due to a defense scandal, he was reappointed as Defense Minister. Known for his visits to the Siachen glacier and significant increase in the defense budget, Fernandes remains a prominent figure in Indian politics.

After the Defence Ministership

The NDA Government lost power to the Congress-led UPA in 2004. George Fernandes, along with Chandra Shekhar and Subramanian Swamy, formed Rashtriya Swabhiman Manch to oppose Sonia Gandhi's and UPA's policies. It was later alleged that Fernandes had a rivalry with Nitish Kumar.

In the 2009 general elections, he ran as an independent candidate but lost. However, he was elected unopposed for a Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Sharad Yadav.

Controversies

Support to Secessionist Groups in Sri Lanka

George Fernandes was a strong supporter of secessionist movements, particularly the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka. He organized pro-LTTE events and prevented the Indian Navy from intercepting ships suspected of carrying weapons for Tamil guerrilla groups.

He also supported Tibetan refugees fighting against China and Burmese rebel groups fighting the military government in Myanmar. Additionally, he revealed an incident called "Operation Leech" that led to the capture of Arakan Army insurgents on an Indian island in the Andaman Sea.

CIA Funding

During the Emergency, he was accused of conspiring against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government. He allegedly tried to get financial support from the CIA and French government for underground sabotage activities. Despite being denied funding by France, he was reportedly willing to accept money from the CIA.

Tehelka Scandal

George Fernandes, a former Defence Minister of India, was implicated in a sting operation called Operation West End. Journalist Mathew Samuel, posing as a representative of a fake arms company, appeared to bribe prominent political figures, including Fernandes.

This scandal led to his resignation and subsequent investigations by multiple committees. The first report cleared him but was rejected by the government, while the second committee's findings were never submitted due to the resignation of its head.

Barak Missile Scandal

On October 10, 2006, the CBI filed an FIR against Fernandes, Jaya Jaitly, and Admiral Sushil Kumar for alleged irregularities in purchasing the Barak 1 system from Israel. Fernandes claimed that A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the scientific adviser to the Defence Minister at that time, had approved the missile deal.

As Defense Minister

After the Pokhran nuclear tests, Fernandes called China "India's enemy number one" but later regretted his statements. He criticized China for arming Pakistan and strengthening its military in Tibet. Fernandes claimed he was strip-searched twice at Dulles Airport, but the US embassy denied it. He was accused in the 2002 coffin scam but was cleared by the CBI in 2009.

Writings, Journalism, and Other Contributions

Fernandes enjoyed writing and journalism when he was a student. He edited different magazines in different languages, like Konkani and Kannada. He also wrote books about politics, including one about people with disabilities in India. Fernandes was involved in human rights activism and was part of organizations like Amnesty International. In 2022, a writer named Chris Emmanuel Dsouza published a book about Fernandes's early days as an activist in Mangalore.

Personal Life

Fernandes met Leila Kabir on a flight. They started dating and got married. They had a son named Sean Fernandes. Fernandes and Kabir separated later on. Jaya Jaitly became Fernandes' companion in 1984.

Fernandes could speak ten languages, including Konkani, English, Hindi, Tulu, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Malayalam, and Latin. He learned Marathi and Urdu while in jail and Latin when he was young in the seminary. He was also fluent in Hindi and English.

Fernandes had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. He was getting treatment at an ashram in Haridwar in 2010. His brothers wanted to take him for medical treatment, but his friend Leila Kabir took him away.

In July 2010, the court decided that Fernandes would stay with Kabir and his brothers could visit him. In August 2012, Jaya Jaitly got permission from the Supreme Court of India to visit Fernandes, even though his wife didn't agree with it.

Death and Legacy

George died at age 88 on January 29, 2019, in Delhi from swine flu. The Dalai Lama wrote a nice letter about him. He was a good person who helped poor people and believed in justice. Even though we had different religions, I think he will born again to help his country and the less fortunate. I will always remember him.

Conclusion

Lastly, George Mathew Fernandes was an important Indian politician and trade unionist. He fought for workers' rights and social justice. He started in politics during college, joining student movements for democratic changes. He joined trade unions to fight unfair labor practices and improve working conditions.

As he gained influence, he became a strong voice for workers across different industries. He organized strikes to expose exploitation by employers and pushed for laws to protect workers' rights. In 1967, he became a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai South constituency under the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP).

FAQs

1. Why is George Fernandes popular?

George Mathew Fernandes was an important person in India. He worked as a trade unionist, statesman, and journalist. From 1998 to 2004, he served as the Defence Minister of India.

2. Was George Fernandes a member of the BJP party?

Fernandes left the Janata Dal and started the Samata Party in 1994. The Samata Party became a critical friend of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is now like what the Bharatiya Jana Sangh used to be.