Picking holes in the high-level team report that indicted him in the Antrix-Devas deal, former ISRO chief, Mr G. Madhavan Nair, today said that it had “inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and attacked the Department of Space headed by his successor, Dr K. Radhakrishnan, for “cowardice” in releasing only “convinent portions’’.
“The convenient portions they have picked up and put it in public domain. This is totally unfair. When you publish a report, it should be in totality,” Mr Nair told PTI a day after the department released two key reports based on which he and three other scientists were barred from holding any government positions.
The DoS last night made public the report of the high-powered review committee made up of Mr B.K. Chaturvedi and Prof. Roddam Narasimha and (only) conclusions and recommendations of the five-member high-level team, headed by former Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Mr Pratyush Sinha.
The committee went into various aspects of the scrapped Antrix-Devas agreement while the high-level team was set up to examine the deal and identify acts of omission and commission on the part of officials.
Mr Nair said there are a “lot of inconsistencies and inaccuracies” in the high-level team report. “This shows that it is not a fair deal meted out to the entire team (of four scientists).’’
Terming the findings as “very serious allegations,” he wondered why no explanation was sought from the people concerned and a formal inquiry conducted. “This has not happened. This is what is puzzling me,” Mr Nair said.
“If the department is so much convinced that so many atrocities have been committed, they should order an enquiry and get to the root of the issue,” he said. “This (HLT report) is...I will imagine is the feelings of one or two individuals of the committee rather than the actual findings,” Mr Nair said in an indirect reference to Dr Radhakrishnan, who is also part of the five-member high-level team.
Ever since the government action against the scientists came to light, Mr Nair has persistently targeted Dr Radhakrishnan blaming him for the action, accusing him of pursuing a “personal agenda’’.
After the government action provoked an outrage among the scientific community, Dr Radhakrishnan had said the two reports would be made public after due clearance, apparently to defend himself against the attack.
Mr Nair was, however, all praise for the high-powered review committee report, saying: “They have stated all facts; it is fair enough... One of the best reports we can think of. Now you read these two reports (HLT and HPRC) together, you see inconsistencies in the whole process and the type of conclusions.’’
Seeking to target Dr Radhakrishnan again, he charged: “This play of hide and seek is really a cowardice act on the part of the people who are dealing with these files, especially in the Department of Space.’’
Mr Nair said making public the select portions of the high-level team report is aimed at defending the action against the four scientists. “They are trying to justify themselves for whatever wrongdoing they have done. It shows certain amount of cowardice on the part of the Department of Space.’’