New Delhi: Amidst reports that the Phukan Commission of Inquiry into the Tehelka affair has given him a clean chit, Defence Minister George Fernandes described the sting operation as a "motivated rubbish" and voiced confidence that political forces that backed the "malicious campaign" would be exposed.

Shortly after Justice S N Phukan handed over the report to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reporters asked Fernandes whether he had been given a clean chit.

"Did I have anything to clarify? Ever since the Tehelka rubbish came out those who wanted to malign me used this as well as the coffins issue to tarnish my image," said the Defence Minister who had quit immediately after the Tehelka tapes were made public in March 2001.

"These people don't want to face the truth," Fernandes said on the sidelines of the Defence Expo-2004 in New Delhi.

Maintaining that there were no allegations against him, he said, "teen badmaash journalists badmaashi karne nikle the aur kuchch politicians, jo mere khilaf hain, unko support kar rahe the. Mujhe unpe daya aati hai (Three rogue journalists were out to commit mischief and some politicians, who have all along been against me, supported them. I feel pity for them)".

The politicians had supported "lies" and an investigation should be carried out to find out who were the people who had backed the sting operation, said the Defence Minister who has just returned from a six-day visit to South Africa for trilateral Defence meet between India, Brazil and South Africa.

Asked in view of the "clean chit" by the Commission whether the Opposition parties will lift his boycott in Parliament, Fernandes said it was for them to decide.