Coffin scandal rages in India

Kashmir is a hugely sensitive issue in India

The Indian parliament was adjourned on Wednesday for the second day running as the opposition demanded the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes over an army coffin scandal.

Both houses of parliament were adjourned over the affair which centres on a report that the government paid vastly inflated sums for coffins for soldiers killed in Kashmir in 1999.

Nobody will forgive those involved for having purchased coffins that had to be subsequently rejected

Indian state radio

Not only were the 500 aluminium coffins overpriced, but the US-based supplier failed to meet Indian specifications.

Soldiers killed fighting separatists in Indian-administered Kashmir are regarded as martyrs by many Indians and opposition deputies shouted down the government with cries of "coffin thieves".

"Nobody will forgive those involved for having purchased coffins that had to be subsequently rejected," Indian state radio commented on Wednesday.

Mr Fernandes only returned as defence minister in October after being forced out of office over a scandal over weapons purchases.

He has refused to resign, saying he has asked the US company for a refund

Public anger

More than 400 Indian soldiers were killed in the 1999 conflict which began when Islamic militants infiltrated the Kargil sector of Kashmir from Pakistan.

A report in The Times of India newspaper says the Comptroller and Auditor General found that the government had paid an American company $2,500 for each of the 500 coffins.

The fighting in Kashmir continues with one militant reported killed on Wednesday

But five years earlier, it had only paid $172 per coffin.

Moreover, many of the coffins were never used, being rejected as too heavy.

"What is really shocking is that the coffins of the martyrs were bought at an exorbitant price," said the chief whip of the opposition Congress Party, Pryaranjan Dasmunshi.

"They have no right to stay in office, until the prime minister explains to the house."

For Indian radio, the anger of opposition deputies was a genuine reflection of public feeling:

"The mood of the parliamentarians amply reflected the shock and anger faced by each and every Indian on these sordid revelations."

Ministry's reply

The Defence Ministry says it had to buy aluminium coffins so that the bodies of Indian soldiers could be sent home in a dignified manner.

It said that an order for 500 coffins was made with the company Buitron and Baize to be delivered in consignments.

When the first batch of coffins was delivered, it was discovered to be sub-standard and that led to the cancellation of the order for the remaining 350.

The Ministry of Defence says the company was in breach of contract and is asking for some of its money back.