EC clips wings: Advani, Modi grounded for IAF exercise

Guess who was missing in action at the IAF’s most ambitious fire-power exercise recently. Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje Scindia had to stay away as the Election Commission promptly denied permission by citing the model code of conduct and put brakes on the IAF’s plans to fly them in by special aircraft.

While official IAF spokesman Sqn Ldr Mahesh Upsani declined to comment on the issue, Defence Minister George Fernandes reportedly decided to stay away from the March 14 demonstration citing the model code of conduct. Modi had reportedly been invited by the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command’s AOC-in-C, Air Marshal A.R. Gandhi, on behalf of Air Headquarters. A similar invitation was extended to Vasundhara as the demonstration was carried out in the IAF’s firing range in Pokhran, Rajasthan.

According to South Block sources, all the three VIP guests were keen to show up for the Millennium Vayu Shakti fire-power demonstration and the IAF had earmarked AN-32 aircraft for bringing them on the penultimate day.

The IAF approached the Election Commission early this month seeking its clearance but Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy struck down the proposal. The EC made it clear that once the model code of conduct was in force, only the Prime Minister could use IAF aircraft. The EC has earlier refused permission to Advani for using IAF aircraft during elections. Finally it was left to Rajasthan Chief Secretary R.K. Nair to hold fort. He flew in thanks to Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh.