A second set of serious questions which it is impossible to get away from is the conflict between the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces over the interdiction of arms carried on the high seas. The protest by the three defence chiefs against the July 27, 1998 order signed by former defence secretary Ajit Kumar is disturbing evidence of a critical communications gap as a result of which the two sides of the MoD appeared to work at cross-purposes. As Bhagwat saw it, had the arms gone through they would have pinned down Indiantroops in the north-east for months. Fernandes' eventual counter-claim that the July 27 orders were issued after receiving advice from the Indian mission in Yangon only serves to spread embarrassment wider without answering key questions. Why were the rules of existing armed forces operations against gunrunners being changed? Why were the defence chiefs not adequately informed?

The government can no longer maintain a deafening silence in response to the revelations on Operation Leech. Doubts persist about the conflict of interest between George Fernandes' ideological commitments and his ministerial responsibilities. Indeed those doubts are exacerbated by the chronology and latest details of the operation. In sensitive matters such as these which are now public knowledge it is far better to deal as honestly as possible with all the questions, awkward as they are, than to pretend that all is well. The affair will not die down. It will haunt this government and the next. The best advice that can be offered isthat the government come clean.