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Fernandes keeps mum over Kargil

Defence Minister George Fernandes today opted to remain silent on the Kargil issue, saying he would not comment on what was happening in the Kargil sector.

''There is a briefing every day in New Delhi by the armed forces and I do not want to comment on the situation (in Kargil),'' he told newspersons at the army's Command Hospital in Chandigarh.

Responding to the demand for his resignation by some opposition parties following his ''controversial'' statements on the Kargil operations, he quipped, ''No, I have no plans to resign.''

Asked what he personally felt about Indo-Pak relations and the army operations in the Kashmir border, he said the defence minister's personal opinion did not matter a lot.

''I will give my opinion at an appropriate time,'' he added.

Expressing satisfaction over the speech of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Indo-Pak relations, the defence minister said, ''It is now up to the prime minister to resolve the issue and I am confidant that he would do it.''

Fernandes was in Chandigarh to meet jawans injured in the ongoing Kargil operations. Earlier, he visited the army base hospital at Adampur in Jalandhar district of Punjab.

Fernandes was accompanied by Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal, Major General H B Kala, general officer in commanding, western sector and Major General Varinder Singh.

UNI

The Kargil Crisis

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