‘National interest is the priority’

NEW DELHI: Promising to uphold national interest and transparency, AK Antony, the new Defence Minister, plunged headlong into the challenging ministry on the very first day with several rounds of briefings including an overview of the country’s security scenario along the border and in sensitive areas like Kashmir.

Country’s new but reluctant defence minister sent out strong signals about the possible path that his ministry could take, saying, “We are living in a democracy, that too a transparent democracy. Every action of a public man, whether a minister or official or parliamentarian, is being scanned by the people. Everyone should be aware of that fact. I will try and protect national interest to the utmost.”

In fact, Antony had started off as the defence minister within a couple of hours after swearing in on Tuesday with briefings from the defence secretary and other senior officials who called on him at his residence.

“This is the ministry where you cannot over-react unless you are fully aware of the facts,” Antony was cautious on Wednesday. He needs to be, at a time when the ministry is in the midst of a raging controversy kicked up by the Central Bureau of Investigation filing cases into alleged corruption in procurement against former defence minister George Fernandes and others.

When asked about the middlemen, Antony said, “We will try to protect national interest. That is the priority.” Starting in the morning, the minister was briefed by senior bureaucrats, scientists, the three service chiefs, and other officials on various aspects of the ministry.