New Delhi: Stung by what he called as "ugly" campaigning in the name of Kargil martyrs on the coffins issue by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister George Fernandes today (May 4, 2004) complained to the Election Commission asking it to restrain her from doing so.

Asserting that such a campaign in the border areas was "demoralising" the troops stationed there, he said, "Dragging and demoralising the armed forces in this manner is something that just should not be allowed to continue."

Fernandes, who was earlier scheduled to meet the EC in person, sent his complaint through a petition, as he had to leave for Chennai.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...

Insisting that the issue of purchase of reusable caskets had been clarified repeatedly, he said as Defence Minister he had nothing to do with the approval/selection process of the caskets.

Maintaining that the decision on the deal for caskets was taken exclusively by senior armed personnel and not by him at the political level, Fernandes said, "It is highly improper to feed falsehoods to the public in order to accuse the Government of corruption by demoralising the armed forces and indirectly calling their integrity into question."

Fernandes demanded that the Commission restrain Gandhi and her party colleagues to desist from such "ugly and vitiating" campaign in the border areas.

"While some amount of leeway is taken in election rhetoric, and persons like myself would not be agitated by attacks of a political nature, if the rhetoric sinks to the level of using martyrs of Kargil as fodder for an election campaign, I must exercise my right and duty as the Defence Minister of India to protect the interest, morale and dignity of the armed services," he said.