New Delhi: Asserting that his functioning in the government has not been "affected" at all by the Congress boycott in Parliament, Defence Minister George Fernandes on August 24 said he was ready to face in court any evidence against him with regard to purchase of Defence equipment or coffins for the Kargil martyrs.

"I am prepared to face any evidence anywhere ... in court, on the street, on television", and respond to it, he told NDTV.

On the issue of his boycott in Parliament, Fernandes said, "My legitimacy and credibility were never at stake because there was nothing wrong that I had done ... it does not create any impasse in the Ministry of Defence and my work because I have done my work despite their boycott."

Observing that he felt "vindicated" after being lauded by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Fernandes said, "I had not anticipated that he (Vajpayee) will go so far to say that I am the best Defence Minister the country has ever had."

PTI