George Fernandes death: All about the former Defence Minister who led Pokharan-II, Kargil war

In his long political career, Fernandes had held several ministerial portfolios including communications, industry, railways, and defence.

Former Defence Minister George Fernandes passes away

New Delhi: Veteran politician and former Union Minister of India in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet George Fernandes, passed away on Tuesday after prolonged illness. Fernandes played a noteworthy role in Indian politics. Here are some important things to know about him:

• George Fernandes, full name -George Mathew Fernandes was born on June 3 1930. He died at the age of 88 years.
• He was a sitting Rajya Sabha member from Bihar. He had held several ministerial portfolios including communications, industry, railways, and defence.
• He was a key member of the Janata Dal and later he founded the Samata Party.
• He was a former Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist as well as an agriculturist.
• He served as the Defence Minister of India in both the second and third National Democratic Alliance governments (1998–2004).
• The two crucial events in the Indian defence during NDA government, the Kargil war and Pokharan nuclear tests, took place when Fernandes was the defence minister.
• During his tenure as the Defence Minister, the Kargil war over Kashmir broke out between India and Pakistan in 1999.
• In May 1998, India conducted five nuclear tests at the Pokharan range in Rajasthan. Fernandes, who earlier used to be a  supporter of nuclear disarmament, openly endorsed the NDA government's decision to test the nuclear bombs.
• He has been an open critic of China. After the Pokharan nuclear tests in 1998, he openly branded China as "India's enemy number one", which took form of a controversy. He later expressed regret for his statements.
• He has also criticised China for providing weapons to Pakistan to build its missiles, and has also slammed the Chinese for increasing their military across the Himalayas in Tibet.
• His long political career also included several controversies. He went underground in 1975 during the Congress imposed Emergecy while challenging then PM Indira Gandhi for imposing the emergency. In 1976, he was arrested and tried in the infamous Baroda dynamite case.
• In the year 1974, when he was President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation, Fernades organised the All India Railway strike of 1974, where the entire nation was brought to a halt. It was the most notable strike organised by Fernandes.
• He was also alleged to be a supporter of The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
• His name surfaced prominently after Operation West End, by investigative journal Tehelka, after which he was forced to step down as defence minister.