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{{Short description|Indian trade unionist and politician (1930–2019)}}
{{for|the American soccer player|George Fernandez}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name               = George Fernandes
| image              = George Fernandes (cropped).jpg
| caption            = Fernandes in 2002
| birth_name         = George Mathew Fernandes
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1930|06|03|df=y}}
| nationality        = [[Indian nationality|Indian]]
| birth_place        = [[Mangalore]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]<br />(present-day [[Mangaluru]], [[Karnataka]], India)
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2019|01|29|1930|06|03|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[New Delhi]], Delhi, India
| residence          = {{ubl|3, Leonard Lane, Richmond Town, [[Bangalore|Bengaluru]]}}
| office             = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Union Minister of Defence]]
| term_start         = 21 October 2001
| term_end           = 22 May 2004
| primeminister      = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| predecessor        = [[Jaswant Singh]]
| successor          = [[Pranab Mukherjee]]
| term_start1        = 19 March 1998
| term_end1          = 16 March 2001
| primeminister1     = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| predecessor1       = [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]
| successor1         = [[Jaswant Singh]]
| office2            = [[Minister of Railways (India)|Union Minister of Railways]]
| term_start2        = 2 December 1989
| term_end2          = 10 November 1990
| primeminister2     = [[V. P. Singh]]
| predecessor2       = [[Madhav Rao Scindia]]
| successor2         = [[Janeshwar Mishra]]
| office3            = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
| constituency3      = [[List of Rajya Sabha members from Bihar|Bihar]] 
| parliament3        = Indian
| term_start3        = 4 August 2009
| term_end3          = 7 July 2010
| office4            = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| constituency6      = [[Muzaffarpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muzaffarpur, Bihar]]
| term4              = 16 May 2004 — 16 May 2009
| predecessor4       = [[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]
| successor4         = [[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]
| term5              = 28 November 1989 — 9 May 1996
| predecessor5       = [[Laliteshwar Prasad Shahi]]
| successor5         = [[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]
| term6              = 22 March 1977 — 28 December 1984
| predecessor6       = [[Nawal Kishore Sinha]]
| successor6         = [[Laliteshwar Prasad Shahi]]
| constituency7      = [[Nalanda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Nalanda, Bihar]]
| term_start7        = 10 May 1996
| term_end7          = 16 May 2004
| predecessor7       = [[Vijay Kumar Yadav (Communist Party politician)|Vijay Kumar Yadav]]
| successor7         = [[Nitish Kumar]]
| constituency8      = [[Mumbai South (Lok Sabha constituency)|Mumbai South, Maharashtra]]
| term_start8        = 1967
| term_end8          = 1971
| predecessor8       = [[Sadashiv Kanoji Patil]]
| successor8         = Kailas Narain Narula Shivnarain
| party              = {{bulleted list|[[Praja Socialist Party]] (before 1967)|[[Samyukta Socialist Party]] (1967–73)|[[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Socialist Party]] (1973–77)|[[Janata Party]] (1977-79)|[[Janata Party (Secular)|Janata Party (S)]] (1979–80)|[[Janata Party]] (1980–88)|[[Janata Dal]] (1988–94)|[[Samata Party]] (1994–2003)|[[Janata Dal (United)|Janata Dal (U)]] (2003–19)}}
| otherparty         = [[National Democratic Alliance]]
| spouse             = {{marriage|Leila Kabir|1971}}
| children           = 1
| website            =
| signature          = George Fernandes Autograph.svg
| awards             = [[Padma Vibhushan]] (2020) (posthumously)
| source             = http://164.100.47.194/Loksabha/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=122&lastls=14
}}
'''George Mathew Fernandes'''<ref>{{harvnb|Reddy|1977|p=144}} "(i) Accused George Mathew Fernandes (hereinafter referred to as George Fernandes) was the former Chairman of the Socialist Party of India and also the President of the All India Railway- men's Federation."</ref> (3 June 1930 – 29 January 2019) was an Indian politician, trade unionist, statesman,<ref>{{cite news|first=Surender|last=Sharma|title=By George! It's out on the street|date=1 July 2010|url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/jul/010710-Catfight-George-Fernandes-property-Jaya-Jaitley.htm|work=[[MiD DAY]]|access-date=3 September 2010|quote=As if it had not earned enough bad name and publicity for one of the most veteran politicians and trade unionist George Fernandes, claimants to his legacy slug it out in streets on Wednesday.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916140955/http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/jul/010710-Catfight-George-Fernandes-property-Jaya-Jaitley.htm|url-status=live|archive-date=16 September 2012}}</ref> and journalist,<ref name="jr">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok13/biodata/13BI34.htm|title=Biographical Sketch (Member of Parliament: 13th Lok Sabha)|access-date=12 September 2010|publisher=[[Parliament of India]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812115404/http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok13/biodata/13BI34.htm|archive-date=12 August 2010}}</ref> who served as the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Defence Minister of India]] from 1998 until 2004. A veteran socialist, he was a member of the [[Lok Sabha]] for over 30 years, starting from Bombay (present-day Mumbai) in 1967 till 2009 mostly representing [[Electoral district|constituencies]] from Bihar.<ref name="bihargov">{{cite web|url=http://www.biharonline.gov.in/Site/Content/Government/Government.aspx?u=R6&ln=en|title=Shri George Fernandes General Information|access-date=3 September 2010|publisher=[[Government of Bihar]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722111252/http://www.biharonline.gov.in/Site/%28S%28oabm5t45q1vrvv3w2vs2afv2%29%29/Content/Government/Government.aspx?u=R6&ln=en|archive-date=22 July 2011}}</ref> He was the leader of the [[Samyukta Socialist Party]] and the [[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Socialist Party]], a key member of the [[Janata Party]], the [[Janata Party (Secular)]] and the [[Janata Dal (United)|Janata Dal]], and, finally, the founder of the [[Samata Party]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-11-19|title=Flaming torch a free symbol, EC can allot it to any other party: Delhi HC dismisses Samata Party's appeal|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/flaming-torch-symbol-ec-delhi-hc-dismisses-samata-partys-appeal-8278007/|access-date=2022-11-26|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=SAMATA PARTY – Official Website|url=https://samataparty.org/|access-date=2022-04-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=manch>{{cite news|last=Gupta|first=Smita|title=Now a Samata Manch to build anti-Congress platform|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/now-a-samata-manch-to-build-anticongress-platform/article5265767.ece|access-date=18 May 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 October 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226012029/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/now-a-samata-manch-to-build-anticongress-platform/article5265767.ece|archive-date=26 December 2013}}</ref> Holding several prominent ministerial portfolios during his career, including [[Ministry of Communications (India)|communication]], [[Minister of Commerce and Industry (India)|industry]], [[Minister of Railways (India)|railways]], and [[Ministry of Defence (India)|defence]],<ref name="bbcgr">{{cite news|title=Fernandes: Popular but controversial minister|date=15 March 2001|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1223625.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211083254/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1223625.stm|archive-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> he was posthumously awarded the [[Padma Vibhushan]], India's second highest civilian award, in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|agency=Press Trust of India|date=2021-11-09|title=George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj conferred Padma awards|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/george-fernandes-arun-jaitley-and-sushma-swaraj-conferred-padma-awards-121110900090_1.html|access-date=2022-10-10|website=business-standard.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/padma-awards-for-george-vashishtha-six-others-from-state/articleshow/73620093.cms|title=Padma awards for George, Vashishtha & six others from state|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=26 January 2020|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-ministers-arun-jaitley-sushma-swaraj-and-george-fernandes-given-padma-vibhushan/articleshow/73617205.cms|title=Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Here's full list of Padma award recipients|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=26 January 2020|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS|url=https://padmaawards.gov.in/PDFS/2020AwardeesList.pdf|website=padmaawards.gov.in|access-date=25 January 2020}}</ref>

A native of [[Mangalore]], Fernandes was sent to [[Bangalore]] in 1946 to be trained as a [[Roman Catholic priest|priest]]. In 1949, he moved to [[Bombay]], where he joined the socialist trade union movement. Becoming a trade union leader, Fernandes organised many strikes and ''[[bandh]]s'' in Bombay in the 1950s and 1960s while working with the Indian Railways. He defeated S K Patil of the [[Indian National Congress]] in the 1967 parliamentary elections from the [[Bombay South (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bombay South constituency]]. As president of the [[All India Railwaymen's Federation]], he led the [[1974 railway strike in India|1974 railways strike]]. Fernandes went underground during the [[The Emergency (India)|Emergency era]] of 1975, while challenging Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] for imposing a state of emergency,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/george-fernandes-socialist-leader-atal-bihar-vajpayee-indira-gandhi-janata-party-emergency/story/1/24642.html|title=Why despite several controversial moves, George Fernandes continues to inspire us|website=dailyo.in}}</ref> but in 1976 he was arrested and tried in the infamous [[Baroda dynamite case]].

In 1977, after the Emergency had been lifted, Fernandes won the [[Muzaffarpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muzaffarpur]] seat in Bihar in absentia. As [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|industries minister]], he revoked the licences for multinationals [[IBM]] and [[Coca-Cola]] to operate in India, due to investment violations. As [[Ministry of Railways (India)|railways minister]] from 1989 to 1990 he was the driving force behind the [[Konkan Railway]] project. As [[Ministry of Defence (India)|defence minister]] in the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]-led [[Second Vajpayee ministry|second]] and [[Third Vajpayee ministry|third]] [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] ministries (1998–2004), he oversaw the outbreak of the [[Kargil War]] and the implementation of [[Pokhran-II|nuclear tests at Pokhran]]. Fernandes has been dogged by various controversies, including the [[Barak Missile scandal]] and the [[Operation West End|Tehelka affair]]. George Fernandes won nine Lok Sabha elections from 1967 to 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/The-loneliness-of-George-Fernandes/article16620175.ece|title=The loneliness of George Fernandes|newspaper=The Hindu|date=21 April 2009}}</ref> He died on 29 January 2019 at the age of 88.<ref name="TheHindu2019_jan" />

==Early life==
George Fernandes was born on 3 June 1930 to John Joseph Fernandes and Alice Martha Fernandes (''née'' Pinto), in [[Mangalore]] to a [[Mangalorean Catholic]] family.<ref name="daj"/> The eldest of six children, all sons, his siblings are [[Lawrence Fernandes|Lawrence]], [[Michael Fernandes (politician)|Michael]], Paul, Aloysius, and Richard. His mother was a great admirer of King [[George V]] (who was also born on 3 June), hence she named her first son George. His father was employed by the [[Peerless Group|Peerless Finance group]] as an insurance executive, and headed their office of [[South India]] for several years. George was fondly called "Gerry" in close family circles. He attended his first few years of schooling at a government school near his house called "Board school", a municipal school and a church school.<ref name="E TV Kuch lamhe">{{Cite news|title=Kuch lamhe fursat ke – George Fernandes, a life|date=27 March 2015|publisher=E TV}}</ref>

He studied from fifth grade at the school attached to [[St. Aloysius College (Mangalore)|St. Aloysius College, Mangalore]], where he completed his [[Secondary School Leaving Certificate]] (SSLC).<ref name="daj">{{cite news|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/achievers_view.asp?a_id=24|title=A Knight in Shining Armour (A profile of union defence minister George Fernandes)|publisher=[[Daiji World|Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore]]|access-date=1 January 2010|first=Richie|last=Lasrado|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628215852/http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/achievers_view.asp?a_id=24|archive-date=28 June 2009}}</ref>

In an interview with ''ETV'', Fernandes described his decision to stop studies after matriculation despite his father wishing him to study and become a lawyer.<ref name="E TV Kuch lamhe" /> His premise was that he did not want to become a lawyer and fight cases for his father who often evicted tenants from a patch of land that they owned on the outskirts of Mangalore. He was instead enrolled in a seminary for studies to become a priest.<ref name="E TV Kuch lamhe" /> He went to St Peter's Seminary in Bangalore at the age of 16, to be trained as a [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] priest, studying philosophy for two and a half years from 1946 to 1948.<ref name="gfx1">{{harvnb|Fernandes|Mathew|1991|p=xi}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Fernandes|Mathew|1991|p=200}}</ref> At the age of 19, he left the seminary due to sheer frustration because he was appalled that the rectors ate better food and sat at higher tables than the seminarians.<ref name="g85">{{harvnb|Ghosh|2007|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=TiG-pS2v3N0C&pg=PA85 85]}}</ref> He later confessed that, "I was disillusioned, because there was a lot of difference between precept and practice where the Church was concerned."<ref name="gfx1"/>

Fernandes began work at the age of 19, organising exploited workers in the road transport industry and in the hotels and restaurants in Mangalore.<ref>{{harvnb|Fernandes|Mathew|1991|p=11}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Fernandes|Matthew|1991|p=212}}</ref> For some time, he worked as an insurance agent and also tried wholesale businesses of shaving blades.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=77|language=en}}</ref> His first guru was a Mangalorean activist and a freedom fighter [[Ammembala Balappa]] (1922–2014). Balappa identified and groomed a young Fernandes, who had taken refuge at places surrounding [[Nehru Maidan]] in Mangalore city, after being thrown out of the house. Initially, with Balappa's mentorship Fernandes gathered hotel workers and other menial labourers in the city. He was associated with [[Ram Manohar Lohia]]-led [[Praja Socialist Party]] (PSP) in its Mangalore division. Fernandes and few other union workers led Mangalore's earliest labour strikes on behalf of the workers of Canara Public Conveyance (CPC)in 1949. The strike was cracked down as the police resorted to [[lathi charge]]. After the strike, Fernandes came in contact with renowned Bombay-based [[Trade Union]] leader [[Placid D’Mello]] (1919–1958).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/a-fierce-union-leader-who-showed-the-way-to-thousands-of-dock-workers-4533674|title=A fierce union leader who showed the way to thousands of dock workers|access-date=20 February 2017}}</ref> Fernandes later left to Bombay in 1950 and faced tremendous hardships. Here again, he became a prodigy of D'Mello, who was handling the arduous Dock unions. After D'Mello's death<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/the-fate-of-man-the-gradual-decline-of-a-hero-who-once-could-do-no-wrong/cid/621342|title=THE FATE OF MAN – The gradual decline of a hero who once could do no wrong|access-date=5 June 2009}}</ref> in 1958, Fernandes succeeded in managing dock Unions and other major labour force unions in the city that included Taximen unions, textile mills and Mazdoor Unions.

==Career==
===Brief history of participating in elections===
He first contested Lok Sabha election in 1967 as a socialist, and defeated the Congress stalwart Sa Kaa Patil in Bombay in a famous upset, earning the sobriquet 'George the Giant-killer'. He contested from Muzaffarpur, Bihar in 1977 while still in jail as a Janata Party candidate, and won. He was made minister in the first non-Congress govt in India. In 1979, he resigned from : [[Janata Party]], joined Charan Singh's breakaway Janata Party (S), and won again from Muzaffarpur in 1980. In 1984 he fought from Bangalore on Janata Party's ticket but lost to Jaffar Sharif of Congress. He lost a bye-poll from Banka in 1985 and again in 1986. In 1989 and 1991, he shifted back to Bihar and won both times from Muzaffarpur as Janata Dal candidate. In 1994, he left Janata Dal after differences with Lalu Yadav and formed Samata Party which allied with BJP. 
In 1996 and 1998 elections, he won from Nalanda as Samata Party candidate. Samata Party merged with Janata Dal (United) and he won again from Nalanda in 1999. In 2004 he won from Muzaffarpur. In 2009 he was denied ticket by his party, contested from Muzaffarpur as an independent and lost. Later he was elected to Rajya Sabha in 2009. In the 2010s he was afflicted for many years with Alzheimer's and died in January 2019. 
* Bombay : 1967 (Lost in 1971)
* Muzaffarpur : 1977, 1980, 1989, 1991, 2004. (Lost in 2009 as rebel)
* Bangalore : Lost in 1984<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1984-election-results.html|title=1984 India General (8th Lok Sabha) Elections Results}}</ref> 
* Banka : Lost bye-polls in 1985 and 1986.
* Nalanda :  1996, 1998, 1999
* Rajya Sabha : 2009

===Life in Mumbai===
After leaving the seminary, Fernandes moved to Bombay in 1949 in search of a job. He went to the office of [[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Socialist Party]] in [[Bombay]] and met [[Madhu Dandavate]] to ask him for staying there for some time but was not welcomed.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=96|language=en}}</ref> His life was tough in Bombay, and he had to sleep on the streets, until he got a job as a proofreader for [[The Times of India]] newspaper.<ref name="iexp">{{cite news|title=George Fernandes|date=1 January 2001|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/George-Fernandes/Article1-11891.aspx|access-date=3 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019023447/http://www.hindustantimes.com/George-Fernandes/Article1-11891.aspx|archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=97|language=en}}</ref> He relates to the beginning of his career by saying, "When I came to Bombay, I used to sleep on the benches of Chowpatty Sands. In the middle of the night policemen used to come and wake me up and ask me to move on."<ref>{{cite book|title=Himmat, Volume 4|publisher=R. M. Lala|year=1974|page=6}}</ref> He came into contact with veteran union leader [[Placid D’Mello]], and the socialist [[Rammanohar Lohia]], who were the greatest influences on his life.<ref name="iexp"/><ref name="rediff13oct">{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/election/1999/oct/13profc.htm|title=The Vajpayee cabinet: All old timers minus one|access-date=3 September 2010|date=13 October 1999|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017225145/http://www.rediff.com/election/1999/oct/13profc.htm|archive-date=17 October 2012}}</ref> Later, he joined the socialist trade union movement.<ref name="g85"/> He rose to prominence as a trade unionist and fought for the rights of labourers in small scale service industries such as hotels and restaurants. Emerging as a key figure in the Bombay labour movement in the early 1950s, Fernandes was a central figure in the unionisation of sections of Bombay labour in the 1950s.<ref name="jh">{{harvnb|Hutchison|Brown|Asia Research Centre|2001|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=b5Rv196QrowC&pg=PA158 158]}}</ref>

In 1951, Fernandes joined Bombay Dock Worker's Union and worked to revive the publication of a newsletter ''The Dockman.'' When in August 1951, [[Placid D’Mello]] was arrested, he organised foot march of around two-hundred dock workers from [[Bombay]] to [[Poona]] to meet Chief Minister [[Morarji Desai]] for the release of D’Mello.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=9780670092888|pages=102|language=en}}</ref> As a labour organiser, he served many prison terms when his workforce engaged in fights with company goons.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/46444.cms?prtpage=1|title=George Fernandes|access-date=8 August 2010|date=27 June 2003|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|quote=In his salad days, he served many prison terms as a labour organiser when his workforce squabbled with hired company thugs.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608155401/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/46444.cms?prtpage=1|archive-date=8 June 2011}}</ref> He served as a member of the [[Bombay Municipal Corporation]] from 1961 to 1968. He won in the civic election in 1961 and, until 1968, continuously raised the problems of the exploited workers in the representative body of the metropolis.<ref name="sarma">{{harvnb|Śarmā|1978|p=130}}</ref>

On his first day at [[Bombay Municipal Corporation]], 10 April 1961, he requested that the proceedings to be conducted in [[Marathi language|Marathi]] instead of [[English language]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=125|language=en}}</ref> On 4 April 1963, George was arrested along with Sardar Parsbag Singh and Janardhan Upadhyay under [[Defence of India act and Defence of India rules, 1962|Defence of India act]] because of their demand to change the taxi fair structure. He was jailed at Nasik Central Jail. On 9 August 1963, [[Madhu Limaye]] along with other trade union leaders organised a big rally in [[Bombay]] for his release. On 13 December 1963, he was released from Nagpur Central Jail.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=133–163|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=George Fernandes vs The State Of Maharashtra on 1 October, 1963|url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/274419/}}</ref>

The moment that thrust Fernandes into the limelight was his decision to contest the [[1967 Indian general election|1967 general election]]. He was offered a party ticket for the [[Mumbai South (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bombay South]] constituency by the [[Samyukta Socialist Party]] against the more wellknown [[S. K. Patil]] of the [[Indian National Congress]] in Bombay. Patil was a seasoned politician, with two decades of experience. Nevertheless, Fernandes won by garnering 48.5 per cent of the votes, thus earning his nickname, "George the Giantkiller". The shocking defeat ended Patil's political career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/02espec1.htm|title=When George Fernandes Humbled the 'king'|last=Pai|first=Rajeev D.|publisher=[[Rediff]]|date=2 April 2004|access-date=7 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303034725/http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/02espec1.htm|archive-date=3 March 2012}}</ref>

Fernandes emerged as a key leader in the upsurge of strike actions in Bombay during the second half of the 1960s but, by the beginnings of the 1970s, the impetus of his leadership had largely disappeared.<ref name="jh"/> In 1969, he was chosen General Secretary of the Samyukta Socialist Party, and in 1973 became the chairman of the Socialist Party.<ref name="sarma"/> After the 1970s, Fernandes failed to make major inroads in Bombay's growing private-sector industries.<ref name="jh"/>

===1974 railway strike===
The most notable strike organised by Fernandes, when he was President of the [[All India Railwaymen's Federation]], was the All India Railway strike of 1974, where the entire nation was brought to a halt. The strike was the result of grievances by railway workers that had been built up over two decades before the strike. Though there were three Pay commissions between 1947 and 1974, none of them increased the standard of living of the workers.<ref>{{citation|contribution=Railway Workers and Their Unions: Origins of 1974 Indian Railways Strike|title=Economic and Political Weekly (Vol. 24, No. 41)|editor-first=Stephen|editor-last=Sherlock|page=2311|date=14 October 1989}}</ref> In February 1974, the National Coordinating Committee for Railwaymen's Struggle (NCCRS) was formed to bring all the railway unions, the central trade unions and political parties in the Opposition together to prepare for the strike to start on 8 May 1974.<ref name="Chronicle of a strike" /> In Bombay, electricity and transport workers, as well as taxi drivers joined the protests. In [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], Bihar, striking workers and their families squatted on the tracks.<ref name="Chronicle of a strike" /> More than 10,000 workers of the [[Integral Coach Factory]] in [[Madras]] marched to the Southern Railway headquarters to express their solidarity with the striking workers. Similar protests erupted across the country.<ref name="Chronicle of a strike">{{cite magazine|last=Shridhar|first=V.|date=15–28 September 2001|title=Chronicle of a strike|url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm|url-status=dead|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|volume=18|issue=19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527051644/http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1819/18190750.htm|archive-date=27 May 2012|access-date=9 August 2010}}</ref>

The strike, which started on 8 May 1974, at the time of economic crisis, provoked strong government reactions and massive arrests.<ref name="et">{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Real-and-sham-bandhs/articleshow/6132515.cms|title=Real and sham bandhs|last=Doctor|first=Vikram|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=6 July 2010|access-date=7 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804040955/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Real-and-sham-bandhs/articleshow/6132515.cms|archive-date=4 August 2010}}</ref> According to [[Amnesty International]], 30,000 trade unionists were detained, most held under preventive detention laws. Those arrested included not only members of the strike action committee and trade unionists, but also railwaymen who participated in the strike.<ref name="s74"/> The strike was called off unilaterally on 27 May 1974 by the Action Committee. As explained later by Fernandes, "the strike was called off because those conducting the strike had started speaking in different voices."<ref name="b">{{harvnb|Sharma|1982|p=163}}</ref> Although large number of prisoners were released, among them Fernandes, thousands remained in detention, charged with specific offences.<ref name="s74">{{harvnb|Desai|1986|p=194}}</ref> The strike led to a sense of insecurity and threat that led to [[Indira Gandhi]]'s imposition of the Emergency era in 1975. Previous strikes were aimed at companies or industries, but this strike was aimed at the government and from its ramifications proved to be the most successful of disastrous industrial actions in Indian history.<ref name="et"/>

===Emergency era and union ministry===
{{Main|The Emergency (India)|Baroda dynamite case}}
[[File:George in chains after arrest in 1976.jpg|thumb|right|George Fernandes arrested in the [[Baroda dynamite case]]]]
The reigning Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, declared a [[state of emergency]] on 25 June 1975 due to internal political disturbances. Accordingly, all fundamental rights enjoyed in the [[Indian Constitution]] were suspended. Political dissidents, newspaper reporters, opposition leaders who opposed the emergency were jailed. George Fernandes, along with like-minded leaders, opposed what he saw as a blatant misuse of power. 
A day before the emergency George Fernandes had arrived in [[Berhampur City]] in Odisha (on 24 June 1975) and was staying at his father-in-law Humayun Kabir's house on [[Gopalpur-On-Sea]] beach near [[Berhampur City]], Odisha. Humayun Kabir was the education minister in former prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet.

George Fernandes' 25 June schedule in Berhampur city was packed. He attended a meeting of the [[Berhampur University]] Employees Association, a meeting with socialist leaders and workers and a gathering of intellectuals in the evening. He was scheduled to attend a meeting of the [[Railways Workers Association of Odisha]] on 26 June in [[Berhampur City]] but before that he hid himself there secretly.
A warrant was issued in Fernandes' name and subsequently he went underground to escape arrest and prosecution. When the police failed to capture him, they arrested and tortured his brother, [[Lawrence Fernandes]], to reveal his brother's whereabouts. [[Snehalata Reddy]], a chronic asthmatic was arrested for being in touch with George Fernandes and, as she was not given adequate care in the prison, died soon after her release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/26/stories/2003062600230100.htm|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=8 August 2010|title=Memories of another day|date=26 June 2003|location=Chennai, India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107222440/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/06/26/stories/2003062600230100.htm|archive-date=7 November 2012}}</ref>

In July 1975, Fernandes arrived in [[Baroda]]. There, he met Kirit Bhatt, who was president of Baroda Union of Journalists, and Vikram Rao, a staff correspondent of ''[[The Times of India]]'' at Baroda, both who opposed the Emergency. They used to meet and discuss on what could be done to topple the autocratic Indira Gandhi Government. An industrialist friend, [[Viren J. Shah]], managing director of [[Mukand Ltd]]., helped them find contacts for procuring dynamite, used extensively in quarries around [[Halol]] (near Baroda). They aimed at blowing up toilets in government offices and cause explosions near the venue of public meetings to be addressed by Indira Gandhi. The idea was not to injure anybody, but only create a scare. The explosions were to be carried out either late in the night or hours before the public meeting was to begin to avoid injury. A plan was hatched to blow up a dais four hours before Indira Gandhi was to address a meeting in [[Varanasi]]. The conspiracy later came to be known as the infamous [[Baroda dynamite case]].<ref name="baroda">{{cite news|first=Milind|last=Ghatwai|title=Violent protest sans bloodshed against Indira Gandhi's emergency|date=26 June 2000|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20000626/ina26016.html|access-date=5 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010223506/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20000626/ina26016.html|archive-date=10 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Herdeck|Piramal|1985|p=58}}</ref>

According to Bhatt, there were two more plans that never worked out. Fernandes also wanted to rob a train used to carry weapons from [[Pimpri]] (near [[Pune|Poona]]) to Bombay. The weapons were to be used to blast government offices. Yet another plan was to take the help of other countries by using [[ham radio]].<ref name="baroda"/>

On 10 June 1976, he was finally arrested in [[Calcutta]] on charges of smuggling dynamite to blow up government establishments in protest against the imposition of emergency, in what came to be known as the Baroda dynamite case.<ref name="ee">{{harvnb|Sahasrabuddhe|Vajpayee|1991|p=537}}</ref> After his arrest, Amnesty International members cabled the Government requesting that he be given immediate access to a lawyer and that his physical protection be guaranteed.<ref>{{harvnb|Desai|1986|p=204}}</ref> Three world leaders from Germany, Norway and Austria were believed to have cabled Indira Gandhi and cautioned her against harming Fernandes.<ref name="daj"/> From Baroda, the accused were shifted to [[Tihar Jail]]. The accused were never chargesheeted.<ref name="baroda"/>

====Union Minister and Muzaffarpur MP post-1977====
After the emergency was lifted, elections were held in India from 16 to 20 March 1977. The Congress Party, led by Indira Gandhi, suffered a defeat at the hands of the [[Janata Party]], a coalition created in 1977 out of several small parties that opposed Gandhi's Emergency era.<ref>{{harvnb|Gort|Jansen|Vroom|2002|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6xTC8ub8RN8C&pg=PA246 246]}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Joseph|Krieger|Kesselman|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=x88s2oMsLkcC&pg=PA298 298]}}</ref> The Janata Party and its allies came to power, headed by [[Morarji Desai]], who became the first non-Congress [[Prime Minister of India]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl1416/14160180.htm|title=The Opposition and the Left|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|first=E. m. s.|last=Namboodiripad|access-date=9 August 2010|volume=14|issue=16|date=9–22 August 1997|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605003805/http://www.flonnet.com/fl1416/14160180.htm|archive-date=5 June 2011}}</ref> Fernandes won the [[Muzaffarpur]] seat in Bihar by an over 300,000 vote margin in 1977 from jail where he was lodged in the Baroda dynamite case,<ref name="ou">{{cite magazine|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?657225|title=George Fernandes Files Nomination as Independent|access-date=8 August 2010|date=1 April 2009|magazine=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331213629/http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?657225|archive-date=31 March 2012}}</ref> despite his not even visiting the constituency.<ref name="rediff13oct" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mintonsunday.livemint.com/news/george-fernandes-rebel-without-a-pause/2.3.3199867612.html|title=GEORGE FERNANDES: REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE|date=20 June 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926163812/http://mintonsunday.livemint.com/news/george-fernandes-rebel-without-a-pause/2.3.3199867612.html|archive-date=26 September 2015}}</ref>

On 28 March 1977, he was appointed Minister of Post and Telegraph.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=343|language=en}}</ref> In his speech, on 31 March 1977, in [[Lok Sabha]], he emphasised on expanding postal services to rural areas.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=31 March 1977|title=Statement of some aspects of Postal and Telecommunications Service|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/836324|access-date=10 March 2023|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library |last1=Bhattacharya |first1=Dinendra Nath |last2=Fernandes |first2=George }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> On 7 July 1977, he was appointed the Union Minister for Industries.<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 July 1977|title=Change in Portfolios|url=https://cabsec.gov.in/writereaddata/changeinportfolio/english/1_Upload_2639.pdf|website=Cabinet Secretariat}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=345|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1622/16221030.htm|title=The meaning of George Fernandes|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|first=Noorani|last=A. G.|access-date=9 August 2010|volume=16|issue=22|date=23 October – 5 November 1999|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219012746/http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1622/16221030.htm|archive-date=19 February 2005}}</ref> During his union ministership, he clashed with American multinationals [[IBM]] and [[Coca-Cola]] insisting they implement FERA, the [[Foreign Exchange Regulation Act]], which had been passed under Indira Gandhi's government. Under the FERA, foreign investors could not own more than 40 per cent of the share capital in Indian enterprises. The two multinationals decided to shut down their Indian operations, when Fernandes pressed ahead with rigid enforcement of FERA.<ref>{{harvnb|Kux|1993|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=zcylFXH9_z8C&pg=PA363 363]}}</ref> On 1 May 1978, he launched District Industrial Centre to provide employment in rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=From the archives: George Fernandes, the minister who was ready to resign from his own govt for railway workers|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19790615-george-fernandes-criticizes-his-own-govt-threatens-to-resign-on-bonus-issue-822122-2014-02-28|access-date=2023-03-09|website=India Today|date=28 February 2014 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=349|language=en}}</ref>

During his first tenure as MP, Fernandes set up a [[Doordarshan]] Kendra (1978), [[Kanti Thermal Power Station]] (1978) and the [[Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad|Lijjat papad]] factory to generate employment in [[Muzaffarpur]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140507/jsp/bihar/story_18316116.jsp#.Vhkw6-yqqko|title=Leading by example|last=Singh|first=Shambhavi|work=The Telegraph|date=7 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304212857/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140507/jsp/bihar/story_18316116.jsp#.Vhkw6-yqqko|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/key-contests-george-fernandes-vs-bhagwan-l-sahni-104042301068_1.html|title=Key Contests: George Fernandes vs Bhagwan L Sahni|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=23 April 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820015421/http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/key-contests-george-fernandes-vs-bhagwan-l-sahni-104042301068_1.html|archive-date=20 August 2016}}</ref> Fernandes also insisted on women's empowerment. In November 2014, Kanti Thermal Power Station was renamed as George Fernandes Thermal Power Station (GFTPS).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Kantis-110MW-second-unit-starts-power-generation/articleshow/45161837.cms|title=Kanti's 110MW second unit starts power generation|newspaper=The Times of India|date=15 November 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806145121/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Patna/Kantis-110MW-second-unit-starts-power-generation/articleshow/45161837.cms|archive-date=6 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141117/jsp/bihar/story_19048394.jsp#.VhkygOyqqko|title=Nitish vocal tonic to counter BJP claims|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002173448/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141117/jsp/bihar/story_19048394.jsp#.VhkygOyqqko|archive-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

In November 1978, he sent his resignation letter to Desai to work for the organization of [[Janata Party]], which was rejected.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=362|language=en}}</ref> On 12 July 1979, speaking on [[Motion of no confidence]] brought by [[Yashwantrao Chavan]], George Fernandes defended [[Premiership of Morarji Desai|Morarji Desai]]'s government.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=12 July 1979|title=Motion of No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/839071|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library|last1=Kidwai|first1=Mohsina|last2=Hegde|first2=K. S.|last3=Gopal (Karur)|first3=K.|last4=Roy|first4=Saugata|last5=Purushottam|first5=Vasant Sathe|last6=Stephen|first6=C. M.|last7=Chavan|first7=Yashwantrao Balwantrao|last8=Bhattacharya|first8=Dinendra Nath|last9=Fernandes|first9=George |last10=Subramaniam |first10=C.|last11=Singh|first11=Chandra Shekhar|last12=Dubey|first12=Yadavendra Dutt|last13=Narayan|first13=A. R. Badri|last14=Sangma|first14=Purno Agitok|last15=Mohanrangam|first15=R.|last16=Murahari|first16=Godey|last17=Bhan|first17=Suraj|last18=Bagri|first18=Mani Ram|last19=Mohanarangam|first19=Ragavalu |last20=Pajanor |first20=Aravinda Bala|last21=Dutt|first21=Ashok Krishna|last22=Jain|first22=Kalyan|last23=Nahata|first23=Amrit|last24=Singh|first24=Ram Avdhesh|last25=Bosu|first25=Jyotirmoy|last26=Krishnan|first26=Parvathi|last27=Chandrappan|first27=C. K.|last28=Mandal|first28=Bindhyeshwari Prasad}}</ref><ref name="Ramagundam 2022 365">{{Cite book|last=Ramagundam|first=Rahul|title=The Life and Times of George Fernandes|publisher=Penguin Random House India|year=2022|isbn=978-0670092888|pages=365|language=en}}</ref> But on 15 July 1979, George along with other ministers like [[Biju Patnaik]], [[Purushottam Kaushik]], [[Bhanu Pratap Singh]] resigned from Desai's cabinet.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Grover|first=Verinder|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jsoxXeEH_6IC|title=Pressure Groups and Politics of Influence, Volume 8|publisher=Deep and Deep Publications|year=1997|isbn=81-7100-881-X|pages=574|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ananth|first=V. Krishna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8v7Vr2iQUHkC|title=India Since Independence: Making Sense of Indian Politics|publisher=Pearson India|year=2010|isbn=978-8131734650|pages=231}}</ref><ref name="Ramagundam 2022 365"/>

===Party memberships and railway ministry===
[[File:Vladimir Putin with George Fernades-1.jpg|thumb|left|Fernandes (''left'') with Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] in 2000]]
During his tenure as a minister in the Janata Party, he continued to be uncomfortable with certain elements of the broad-based Janata coalition, especially with the leaders of the erstwhile [[Hindu nationalist]] [[Bharatiya Jan Sangh]] in the [[Union Cabinet of India|Union Cabinet]]. In a debate preceding a [[vote of confidence]] two years into the government's tenure in 1979, he vehemently spoke out against the practice of permitting members to retain connections to the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) while being in the ministry in the Janata Party. The leaders of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, among them [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] and [[Lal Krishna Advani]], refused to give up their allegiance with the RSS, leading to a split within the Janata Party. The issue of "dual membership" caused [[Morarji Desai]] to lose the vote of confidence, and his government was reduced to a minority in the ''Lok Sabha''.<ref>{{harvnb|Thakurta|Raghuraman|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=laHQHBGC6P4C&pg=PA313 313]}}</ref> After the Janata Party started disintegrating in 1979, [[Charan Singh]] left it to form the Janata (Secular) Party and with support from the Congress Party, replaced Desai as prime minister.<ref name="charan">{{harvnb|Gupta|2003|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9dDH9q7nVQ8C&pg=PA135 134–135]}}</ref>

In the [[7th Lok Sabha|seventh general elections]] held in 1980, the Janata (Secular) ministry failed to maintain a majority in the ''Lok Sabha'', and Congress once again became the ruling party.<ref name="charan"/> Fernandes retained his Parliamentary seat from Muzaffarpur in 1980, and sat in the opposition.<ref name="nan">{{cite news|title=Nalanda's despair is Muzaffarpur's delight|date=1 April 2004|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040402/election.htm#3|newspaper=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|access-date=4 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323102226/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040402/election.htm#3|archive-date=23 March 2012}}</ref> He contested for the ''[[8th Lok Sabha|Lok Sabha]]'' in 1984 from [[Bangalore North (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bangalore North]] constituency against future [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Railway minister]] and Congress candidate [[C. K. Jaffer Sheriff]], but lost the election by a margin of 40,000 votes.<ref>{{cite book|title=George Fernandes death: Former Defence Minister: Latest News|year=1984|publisher=[[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Socialist Party (India)]]|page=144|quote=The outstanding win for the Congress (I) came in the Bangalore North constituency where the Union minister, Jaffer Sharief, defeated the Janata Party general secretary, George Fernandes, by a margin of 40,000 votes.}}</ref> He then decided to shift his base to Bihar in 1989, when an anti-Congress wave was sweeping the country in the wake of the [[Bofors scandal]],<ref name="ou"/> and won Muzaffarpur in the [[9th Lok Sabha|1989]] and [[10th Lok Sabha|1991]] general elections,<ref name="nan"/> He later joined the [[Janata Dal]], a party which was formed from the Janata Party at [[Bangalore]] in August 1988.<ref>{{harvnb|Fernandes|Mathew|1991|p=317}}</ref> His second tenure as Minister of Railways in the [[V. P. Singh]]'s government from 1989 to 1990, though short-lived, was quite eventful.<ref name="bihargov"/> He was one of the driving forces behind the [[Konkan Railway]] project, the first major development in the [[Rail transport in India#History]] since independence.<ref>{{harvnb|Ranade|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cGSKjaym3TcC&pg=PR5 5]}}</ref>

Fernandes broke away from the erstwhile Janata Dal and formed the [[Samata Party]] in 1994,<ref name="sam">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/86843/|title=Janata Dal: ...Make, break, make break...|access-date=1 September 2010|last=Kaushal|first=Pradeep|date=29 January 2006|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|quote=In 1994, Fernandes and Nitish Kumar broke away, floated the Samata Party.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708111952/http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/86843/|archive-date=8 July 2019}}</ref> which became a key ally of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite book|first=A.H|last=Advani|title=Business India, Issues 674–679|year=2004|page=40|quote=The bjp's key ally, Samata Party, is in a total disarray in Bihar as of now.}}</ref> BJP formed a short-lived government in the [[1996 Indian general election|1996 general elections]] along with the Samata Party and other allies. The government survived only for 13 days, since the BJP could not gather enough support from other parties to form a majority.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2108/stories/20040423008300400.htm|title=The New Power Centres|access-date=10 September 2010|last=Hasan|first=Zoya|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|volume=21|issue=8|date=10–23 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103054805/http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2108/stories/20040423008300400.htm|archive-date=3 January 2008}}</ref><ref name="Vajapayee">{{cite news|title=Hindu Nationalist Cabinet Quits in India as Defeat Looms|last=Burns|first=John F.|author-link=John F. Burns|work=The New York Times|date=29 May 1996|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/29/world/hindu-nationalist-cabinet-quits-in-india-as-defeat-looms.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=7 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511210542/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/29/world/hindu-nationalist-cabinet-quits-in-india-as-defeat-looms.html?pagewanted=all|archive-date=11 May 2011}}</ref> Fernandes later served in the opposition along with BJP during the two [[United Front (India, 1996)|United Front]] governments (1996–1998) led by [[Janata Dal]] ministers [[H. D. Deve Gowda]] and [[Inder Kumar Gujral]].<ref name = "Vajapayee"/> After the collapse of the United Front ministry led by Gujral, BJP and its allies won a slender majority in the [[1998 Indian general election|1998 general elections]]. The government lasted only for 13 months, due to the non-co-operation of [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK) leader [[J. Jayalalithaa|Jayalalithaa]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rana|2000|p=50}}</ref>

After the collapse of the second BJP-led coalition government, BJP and its allies formed a 24 party alliance called [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA), which became the first non-Congress coalition government in post-independence India to survive a full five-year term (1999–2004).<ref>{{harvnb|Hardgrave|Kochanek|2007|p=262}}</ref> Later, Fernandes became the convenor of NDA.<ref>{{cite news|first=Shekhar|last=Iyer|title=Sharad takes over from 'ill' George as NDA convenor|date=15 December 2008|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Sharad-takes-over-from-ill-George-as-NDA-convenor/Article1-358088.aspx|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=10 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019024631/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Sharad-takes-over-from-ill-George-as-NDA-convenor/Article1-358088.aspx|archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref> On 27 July 1999, the Janata Dal again split into two factions, the [[Janata Dal (United)]] and the [[Janata Dal (Secular)]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rana|2000|p=63}}, "On 27 July 1999 the JD again split into two factions&nbsp;– JD (United) headed by Sharad Yadav and JD (Secular) headed by Deve Gowda. Its earlier two factions the Samata and the Lok Shakti agreed to unite under one umbrella JD(U)."</ref> In 2003, Fernandes reunited with the Janata Dal (United), and also merged his [[Samata Party]] with it.<ref name="sam"/><ref>{{cite news|first=Gargi|last=Parsai|title=Fernandes to head Janata Dal (United)|date=31 October 2003|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/10/31/stories/2003103104371100.htm|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=5 September 2010|location=Chennai, India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204034133/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2003/10/31/stories/2003103104371100.htm|archive-date=4 February 2012}}</ref>

===Defence minister===
{{main|Kargil War|Pokhran-II}}
[[File:George Fernandes and Donald Rumsfeld.jpg|thumb|right|Fernandes (''left'') with [[United States Secretary of Defense|US Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] in 2002]]
Fernandes served as the [[Defence Minister of India]] in both the first and second [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] governments (1998–2004). During his tenure as the defence minister, the [[Kargil war]] over [[Kashmir]] broke out between India and Pakistan in 1999. The war began when heavily armed Pakistan-backed intruders dug themselves in at heights of {{Convert|16000|ft|m}}&nbsp;– {{Convert|18000|ft|m}} on the Indian side of the [[Line of Control]] (LOC) along an {{convert|80|km|mi}} stretch north of [[Kargil district|Kargil]]. They began attacking the [[National Highway 1D (India)|strategic highway]] linking [[Srinagar]] and [[Leh]]. As a result, the [[Indian army]] undertook the [[Operation Vijay (1999)|Operation Vijay]] to push back the Pakistani intruders and regain the occupied territories.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Joshi|first1=Manoj|last2=Baweja|first2=Harinder|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/07061999/cover.html|title=Kargil War (Blasting Peace)|access-date=11 September 2010|magazine=[[India Today]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122083042/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/07061999/cover.html|archive-date=22 November 2008}}</ref> The inability of the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Indian intelligence]] and military agencies to detect the infiltration early received criticism, both by the opposition as well as the media. However, Fernandes refused to acknowledge the [[intelligence failure|failure]] of intelligence agencies in detecting infiltration along Kargil sector.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fernandes again denies intelligence failure|date=18 July 1999|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jul/18fern.htm|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024081523/http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jul/18fern.htm|archive-date=24 October 2012}}</ref>

In May 1998, India conducted five nuclear tests at the [[Pokhran|Pokharan]] range in [[Rajasthan]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Anita|last=Pratap|title=India releases pictures of nuclear tests|date=17 May 1998|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/17/india.nuke.tests/|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022040000/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9805/17/india.nuke.tests/|archive-date=22 October 2012}}</ref> Earlier a staunch supporter of [[nuclear disarmament]], Fernandes openly endorsed the NDA government's decision to test the nuclear bombs.<ref>{{harvnb|Frank|2002|p=528}} "Twenty years later, in 1998, Fernandes—a long-time campaigner for nuclear disarmament—warmly defended India's nuclear testing initiative while serving as Minister of Defence in the BJP Government headed by A. B. Vajpayee."</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Fernandes|Mathew|1991|p=363}}, "The nations of the world, both nuclear and non-nuclear, must be told in no uncertain terms that India stands for total nuclear disarmament, and the only way to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons is to ban them once and for all."</ref> He was also involved in skirmishes with the then [[Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy]], [[Vishnu Bhagwat]], over promotion of Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. Bhagwat was subsequently sacked over the issue.<ref>{{cite news|title=Navy chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat sacked; wife blames 'communal politics'|date=30 December 1998|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/dec/30navy.htm|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222121505/http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/dec/30navy.htm|archive-date=22 February 2012}}</ref> After the [[Operation West End|Tehelka defence scandal]] broke out in March 2001, Fernandes quit as defence minister, but was reappointed to the post later.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.flonnet.com/fl1822/18220230.htm|title=The return of Fernandes|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|first=V.|last=Venkatesan|access-date=9 August 2010|volume=18|issue=22|date=27 October – 9 November 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219235200/http://flonnet.com/fl1822/18220230.htm|archive-date=19 February 2010}}</ref> Fernandes is the only defence minister of a nuclear power who had a picture of [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|Hiroshima bombing]] in his office. He made 18 visits to the icy heights of the {{convert|6600|m|mi}} [[Siachen]] glacier in Kashmir, which holds the record of being "the world's highest battlefield".<ref name="bbcgr"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Unusual-places-netas-love-to-visit/articleshow/29621674.cms|title=Unusual places netas love to visit – Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="main">{{cite magazine|first=Tim|last=McGirk|author2=Rahman, Maseeh|title=Who Would Have Guessed?|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1998/981130/fernandes1.html|access-date=3 September 2010|date=30 November 1998|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522104941/http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1998/981130/fernandes1.html|archive-date=22 May 2009}}</ref> He was known for overseeing a huge increase in India's defence budget as compared to the allocations made by previous governments.<ref name="bbcgr"/>

===After the defence ministership===
The NDA Government lost power to the Congress-led [[United Progressive Alliance]] (UPA) in the [[2004 Indian general election|2004 general elections]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Arvind|last=Lavakare|title=Why the NDA lost|date=9 June 2004|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jun/08arvind.htm|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816005257/http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jun/08arvind.htm|archive-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> 

Later, political observers alleged that Fernandes was locked in a bitter party rivalry with his one-time friend, Samata Party co-founder, [[Nitish Kumar]].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Amarnath|last=Tewary|title=George, Derailed|date=20 January 2003|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?218639|magazine=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027075330/http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?218639|archive-date=27 October 2010}}</ref> In the [[2009 Indian general election|2009 general elections]], he contested from Muzaffarpur as an independent candidate after being denied a ticket by the Janata Dal (United) on health grounds,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=George Fernandes Files Nomination as Independent|date=1 April 2009|magazine=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=657225|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331213629/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=657225|archive-date=31 March 2012}}</ref> but he lost the election.<ref>{{cite news|first=Priti Nath|last=Jha|title=George Fernandes loses security deposit|date=17 May 2009|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-17/patna/28187807_1_security-deposit-george-fernandes-muzaffarpur-lok-sabha-seat|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=11 September 2010|quote=George Fernandes, who contested the Muzaffarpur Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate, lost the election as well as his security deposit marking an end to his 32-year-long political association with Muzaffarpur.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103093652/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-17/patna/28187807_1_security-deposit-george-fernandes-muzaffarpur-lok-sabha-seat|archive-date=3 November 2012}}</ref> On 30 July 2009, Fernandes filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the mid-term poll being held for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Janata Dal (United) president [[Sharad Yadav]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Anand Mohan|last=Sahay|title=Fernandes files nomination for RS by poll as JD-U candidate|date=30 July 2009|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/30/fernandes-files-nomination-for-rs-by-poll.htm|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802094756/http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/30/fernandes-files-nomination-for-rs-by-poll.htm|archive-date=2 August 2009}}</ref> The Janata Dal (United) did not field any candidate against him, which led to his being elected unopposed. He was sworn in on 4 August 2009.<ref>{{cite news|first=Vandita|last=Mishra|title=Leila and George|date=9 August 2009|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/leila-and-george/499723/|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320032328/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/leila-and-george/499723|archive-date=20 March 2013}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Support to secessionist groups in Sri Lanka===
Fernandes supported and endorsed many secessionist movements and groups. He was a long time supporter of the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE), an organisation which sought to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka.<ref name="LTTEflirtation" /> Before 1997, he organised a controversial public convention of pro-LTTE delegates in New Delhi.<ref name="LTTEflirtation" /> In July 1998, he reportedly prevented the [[Indian Navy]] from intercepting ships that were suspected of carrying illegal weapons to Tamil guerrilla groups.<ref name="LTTEflirtation" /> Fernandes was also a patron of the Fund Raising Committee backed by the LTTE, with an objective to help the 26 accused in the [[Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi|Rajiv Gandhi assassination case]].<ref name="LTTEflirtation" /> The [[Sri Lankan government]] stated that, "the LTTE's biggest supporter in India is Defence Minister George Fernandes."<ref name="LTTEflirtation">{{Cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/dec/07spec.htm|title=Fernandes's flirtation with the LTTE is ominous for Sri Lanka|date=7 December 2000|access-date=13 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024152301/http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/dec/07spec.htm|archive-date=24 October 2012|url-status=dead|publisher=[[Rediff]]}}</ref> He also expressed support for Tibetan refugees fighting for freedom against China, and Burmese pro-democratic rebel groups fighting against the military government in [[Myanmar]].<ref name="rediffMandalay">{{cite news|title=The rocky road to Mandalay|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/feb/19burma.htm|access-date=29 January 2019|publisher=Rediff news|date=19 February 2001}}</ref>

He revealed the infamous "[[Operation Leech]]" incident, which resulted in the capture of Arakan Army insurgents in the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]. He also fought for the welfare and release of anti-Burmese rebels held by the Indian Government.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?209239|title=George Catches A Chill|magazine=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|date=17 April 2000|access-date=3 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118121929/http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?209239|archive-date=18 November 2010}}</ref>

===CIA funding===
{{main|Kissinger cables}}
During the Emergency, as chairman of the [[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Socialist Party of India]], he faced prosecution for alleged conspiracy against the government of Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]].<ref name="CIAfunding" /> He allegedly sought to obtain funding from the US [[Central Intelligence Agency]] and the [[French government]] to organise underground sabotage activities. US diplomatic cables said that after an initial request to seek funding from the French government was turned down, he was "prepared to accept money from the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]".<ref name="CIAfunding">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fernandes-sought-cia-funding-during-emergency/article4592097.ece|title=Fernandes 'sought CIA funding' during Emergency|work='The Hindu|date=8 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731092235/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/fernandes-sought-cia-funding-during-emergency/article4592097.ece|archive-date=31 July 2013|url-status=live|access-date=5 August 2013|last1=George|first1=P. J.}}</ref>

===Tehelka scandal===
{{main|Operation West End}}
Fernandes' name figured prominently in [[Operation West End]], a [[sting operation]] in which journalist [[Mathew Samuel]], armed with hidden cameras, from a controversial investigative journal, [[Tehelka]], posing as representatives of a fictitious arms company, appeared to bribe the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] President, [[Bangaru Laxman]], a senior officer in the [[Indian Army]] and [[Jaya Jaitly]], the General Secretary of the [[Samata Party]] and Fernandes' companion.<ref name=NYTDugger3>{{cite news|title=India's Top Party Chief Resigns After Tape Hints He Took Bribe|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/14/world/india-s-top-party-chief-resigns-after-tape-hints-he-took-bribe.html|access-date=24 November 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 March 2001|author=Celia W. Dugger}}</ref>

The scandal caused uproar all over India and Fernandes was forced to resign from his post as Defence Minister. He was subsequently cleared by the one man commission headed by retired Justice Phukan. The Phukan Committee Report was rejected by the [[United Progressive Alliance]] (UPA) Government headed by the [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] and a new committee headed by Justice K Venkataswami was appointed. The Committee investigated the case in detail, but Justice Venkataswami resigned before submitting the report in the case.<ref name="outlookindia2002">{{cite news|title=Justice Denied|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/justice-denied/218269|access-date=29 January 2019|publisher=outlookindia|date=9 December 2002}}</ref>

===Barak Missile scandal===
{{Main|Barak Missile scandal}}
On 10 October 2006, the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI) registered a [[First information report]] (FIR) against Fernandes, his associate Jaya Jaitly, and former navy chief [[Admiral Sushil Kumar]] for alleged irregularities in purchasing the {{INRConvert|7|b}} [[Barak 1]] system from Israel in 2000.<ref name="CBI"/> Fernandes, however, said that the scientific adviser to the Defence Minister in [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) Government (1998–2004), who later became the [[president of India]], [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]], had cleared the missile deal.<ref name="CBI">{{cite news|title=CBI names George Fernandes in arms scandal|date=10 October 2006|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-10-10/india/27794167_1_barak-deal-missile-system-admiral-sushil-kumar|access-date=7 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232715/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-10-10/india/27794167_1_barak-deal-missile-system-admiral-sushil-kumar|archive-date=17 October 2012}}</ref>

===As defence minister===
Following the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998, he openly branded China as "India's enemy number one".<ref name="conbbc">{{cite news|first=Vijay|last=Rana|title=China and India's mutual distrust|date=21 April 2003|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2964195.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=11 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415151908/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2964195.stm|archive-date=15 April 2012}}</ref> He later expressed regret for his statements, saying it was wrongly interpreted by the media.<ref name="bbcgr"/><ref name="main"/> He has also criticised China for providing sophisticated weapons to Pakistan to build its missiles, and has rapped the Chinese for strengthening their military across the [[Himalayas]] in Tibet.<ref name="main"/>

Fernandes has claimed that he was [[strip search]]ed twice at [[Dulles Airport]] in the US Capital area, when he was defence minister—once on an official visit to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] in early 2002 and another time while en route to Brazil in mid-2003. The details of the strip-search were mentioned in American foreign policy analyst [[Strobe Talbott]]'s book ''Engaging India&nbsp;– Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fernandes strip-searched twice during visit to US: Talbott|date=10 July 2004|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/10strobe1.htm|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925004715/http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/10strobe1.htm|archive-date=25 September 2012}}</ref> However, the [[US embassy]] in [[Delhi]] issued a formal denial that Fernandes had been strip-searched,<ref>{{cite news|title=US apologises over body search|date=14 July 2004|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3892657.stm|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705134232/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3892657.stm|archive-date=5 July 2010}}</ref> and said that, "Fernandes was not strip-searched but a [[security wand]] was waved over him when a key in his pocket set off the metal detector."<ref name="defr"/> Subsequently, the then [[United States Deputy Secretary of State]], [[Richard Armitage (politician)|Richard Armitage]], personally apologised to Fernandes over the matter.<ref name="defr">{{cite news|title=Strip-search incident: Armitage apologises|date=14 July 2004|publisher=[[Rediff]]|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/14strip.htm|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024123419/http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/14strip.htm|archive-date=24 October 2012}}</ref> This was one in a series of incidents involving the [[detention and search of Indian VIPs at US airports]] that marred Indian–US relations post 9/11.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/airport-detention-srk-in-company-of-kalam-and-fernandes/article3310624.ece|title=Airport detention: SRK in company of Kalam and Fernandes|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=13 April 2012|access-date=12 March 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219111302/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/airport-detention-srk-in-company-of-kalam-and-fernandes/article3310624.ece|archive-date=19 December 2013}}</ref>

He was accused in the 2002 coffin scam, following allegations that 500 poor quality aluminium caskets were bought from the United States at rates 13 times more than the actual price, to transport the bodies of slain soldiers, after the Kargil War.<ref>{{cite news|title=CBI files chargesheet in Kargil coffin scam|date=22 August 2009|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-22/india/28157558_1_cbi-files-chargesheet-kargil-war-coffin-scam|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301030432/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-22/india/28157558_1_cbi-files-chargesheet-kargil-war-coffin-scam|archive-date=1 March 2012}}</ref> However, the CBI gave a clean sheet to Fernandes in the scam in its 2009 charge sheet.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sumon|last=Chakrabarti|title=Fernandes gets clean chit in Kargil coffin scam|date=22 August 2009|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/fernandes-gets-clean-chit-in-kargil-coffin-scam/99725-3.html|work=[[CNN-IBN]]|access-date=12 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311233249/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/fernandes-gets-clean-chit-in-kargil-coffin-scam/99725-3.html|archive-date=11 March 2012}}</ref>

== Positions held ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Positions held
|-
! Position !! Duration
|-
| Member, Standing [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] on [[Ministry of Rural Development (India)|Rural Development]] || 5 Aug. 2007
|-
| Member, [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] on [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|External Affairs]] || 
|-
| [[14th Lok Sabha|Member, 14th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 2004 (9th term)
|-
| [[Minister of Defence (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Defence]] || 15 Oct. 2001 – May 2004
|-
| Member, General Purposes [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] || 
|-
| [[Minister of Defence (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Defence]] || 13 Oct. 1999 – 16 March 2001
|-
| [[Janata Dal (United)|Leader, Janata Dal (U), Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha]] || 
|-
| [[13th Lok Sabha|Member, 13th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1999 (8th term)
|-
| Member, General Purposes [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] || 
|-
| [[Minister of Defence (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Defence]] || 1998–1999
|-
| [[12th Lok Sabha|Member, 12th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1998 (7th term)
|-
| Member, Consultative [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]], [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Human Resource Development]] || 
|-
| Member, [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] on [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|External Affairs]] || 1996–1997
|-
| [[11th Lok Sabha|Member, 11th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1996 (6th term)
|-
| [[Samata Party|President, Samata Party]] || 1994 onwards
|-
| Member, Consultative [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]], [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] || 
|-
| Member, [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] on [[Ministry of Finance (India)|Finance]] || 1993–1996
|-
| [[10th Lok Sabha|Member, 10th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1991 (5th term)
|-
| Member, Railway Convention [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] || 1990–1991
|-
| [[Kashmir|Minister of Kashmir Affairs (Additional charge)]] || March–May 1990
|-
| [[Minister of Railways (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Railways]] || 1989–1990
|-
| [[9th Lok Sabha|Member, 9th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1989 (4th term)
|-
| [[7th Lok Sabha|Member, 7th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1980 (3rd term)
|-
| [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Industry]] || 1977–1979
|-
| [[Minister of Communications (India)|Union Cabinet Minister, Communications]] || March–July 1977
|-
| [[6th Lok Sabha|Member, 6th Lok Sabha]] || Re-elected in 1977 (2nd term)
|-
| [[All India Railwaymen's Federation|President, All India Railwaymen's Federation]] || 
|-
| [[Socialist Party (India, 1948)|Chairman, Socialist Party]] || 1973–1977
|-
| [[Samyukta Socialist Party|General Secretary, Samyukta Socialist Party]] || 1969–1973
|-
| Member, [[List of committees of the Parliament of India|Committee]] on Petitions || 1967–1970
|-
| [[4th Lok Sabha|Member, 4th Lok Sabha]] || Elected in 1967
|}

==Writings, journalism and other contributions==
{{Further|topic=the biographical book|The Life and Times of George Fernandes}}
Fernandes liked writing and journalism in his student days. He was the editor of a [[Konkani language]] monthly ''Konkani Yuvak'' (Konkani Youth) in 1949. The same year, he was the editor of the ''Raithavani'' weekly in [[Kannada language|Kannada]].<ref name="journalism">{{harvnb|Śarmā|1978|p=131}}</ref> The ''Dockman'' weekly in English, which had ceased publication, reappeared under the editorship of Fernandes in 1952–53.<ref>{{harvnb|Bogaert|1970|p=37}}</ref> Though not a prolific writer, Fernandes wrote several books on politics including ''What Ails the Socialists'' (1972),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|title=What Ails the Socialists|date=1972|publisher=New Society Publications; distributors: Sindhu Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G3eD0DKynAwC|access-date=29 January 2019|language=en}}</ref> ''Socialist Communist Interaction in India'',<ref>{{cite book|last1=Madhu|first1=Limaye|last2=Fernandes|first2=George|title=Socialist Communist Interaction in India|date=1991|publisher=Ajanta Publications (India)|isbn=9788120203198|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CF_lAAAAMAAJ|language=en}}</ref> ''In the year of the disabled: India's disabled government'' (1981),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|title=In the year of the disabled: India's disabled government|date=1981|publisher=Prati Paksha Prakashan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VAO1AAAAIAAJ|language=en}}</ref> ''Dignity for All: Essays in Socialism and Democracy'' (1991),<ref>{{cite book|title=Dignity for all : essays in socialism and democracy|year=1991|publisher=Ajanta Publications (India)|isbn=978-8120203181}}</ref> and his autobiography titled ''George Fernandes Speaks'' (1991).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|title=George Fernandes Speaks|date=1991|publisher=Ajanta Publications (India)|isbn=9788120203174|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oecbAAAAIAAJ|access-date=29 January 2019|language=en}}</ref> He was the editor of an English monthly, ''The Other Side'', and the chairman of the editorial board of the [[Hindi]] monthly ''Pratipaksh''.<ref name="jr"/> A human rights activist, Fernandes had been a member of [[Amnesty International]], the [[People's Union for Civil Liberties]] and the [[Press Council of India]].<ref name="LokSabhaProfile">{{cite web|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|title=Members : Lok Sabha|url=http://164.100.47.194/Loksabha/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=122&lastls=14|website=Parliament of India|publisher=Lok Sabha|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref>
In the year 2022, a Canada-based Mangalorean origin writer ''Chris Emmanuel Dsouza''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mangalorean.com/book-on-iconic-socialist-leader-george-fernandes-to-be-launched-in-city-soon|title=Book on Iconic Socialist Leader George Fernandes to be Launched in City Soon|access-date=11 August 2022|archive-date=11 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811090933/https://www.mangalorean.com/book-on-iconic-socialist-leader-george-fernandes-to-be-launched-in-city-soon/|url-status=dead}}</ref> published a book titled ''Bandh Samrat – Tales of eternal rebel ''<ref name="Bandh Samrat">{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2022/aug/11/book-chronicling-george-fernandes-public-life-out-2486338|title=Book chronicling George Fernandes' public life out|access-date=11 August 2022}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> that chronicled George Fernandes's early days of [[Trade union]] activism in his hometown of [[Mangalore]], his early slog in his adopted city of [[Bombay]] and his association with stellar [[socialist]] figures of Mangalore like the noted [[Ammembala Balappa]] and [[Placid D’Mello]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/book-allows-insight-into-george-fernandess-life-author/articleshow/93483860|title=Book allows insight into George Fernandes's life|access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref>

==Family and personal life==
Fernandes met Leila Kabir, the daughter of former Union minister [[Humayun Kabir (Bengal politician)|Humayun Kabir]], on a flight back to [[Delhi]] from [[Calcutta]]. Fernandes, then the general secretary of the [[Samyukta Socialist Party]], was returning from Bangladesh while Kabir was on her way back from the battlefront where she had gone as an assistant director of the [[Red Cross]]. They began dating and were married on 22 July 1971.<ref name="vss">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100131/jsp/7days/story_12048564.jsp|title=I came back to give my son a father but the father never showed up|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=31 January 2010|access-date=7 August 2010|location=Calcutta, India|first1=Leila|last1=Kabir|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319041546/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100131/jsp/7days/story_12048564.jsp|archive-date=19 March 2012}}</ref> They had a son, Sean Fernandes, who is an investment banker based in New York.<ref name="iss">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100604/jsp/frontpage/story_12528019.jsp|title=Catfight on birthday&nbsp;– Ladies clash over George|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=4 June 2010|access-date=7 August 2010|location=Calcutta, India|first=Archis|last=Mohan|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522072858/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100604/jsp/frontpage/story_12528019.jsp|archive-date=22 May 2012}}</ref> Fernandes and Kabir separated in the mid-1980s.<ref name="iss"/> [[Jaya Jaitly]] was Fernandes' companion from 1984.<ref name="iss"/>

Fernandes spoke ten languages—Konkani, English, Hindi, [[Tulu language|Tulu]], [[Kannada]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], Urdu, [[Malayalam]], and Latin. Konkani was his mother tongue. He learnt Marathi and Urdu in jail, and Latin while he was in the seminary in his early youth. He was fluent in Hindi and English.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2004/08/15/george-fernandes-socialist-who-speaks-many-tongues|title=George Fernandes, Socialist Who Speaks Many Tongues|newspaper=[[Asian Tribune]]|date=15 August 2004|access-date=7 August 2010|first=R. C.|last=Rajamani|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331065708/http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2004/08/15/george-fernandes-socialist-who-speaks-many-tongues|archive-date=31 March 2012}}</ref>

Fernandes was reported to be suffering from [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer]]'s and [[Parkinson's disease|Parkinson]]'s diseases, and in January 2010 was undergoing treatment at [[Swami Ramdev|Baba Ramdev]]'s [[ashram]] at [[Haridwar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/george-fernandes-being-treated-by-swami-ramdev_597164.html|title=George Fernandes being treated by Swami Ramdev|date=19 January 2010|access-date=19 January 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729211500/http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/george-fernandes-being-treated-by-swami-ramdev_597164.html|archive-date=29 July 2013}}</ref> for the diseases at the request of Leila Kabir, who had recently returned to his life.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_george-fernandes-being-treated-for-alzheimer-s-by-yoga-guru-ramdev_1336547|title=George Fernandes being treated for Alzheimer's by Yoga Guru Ramdev|newspaper=[[DNA (newspaper)|DNA]]|access-date=19 January 2010|date=19 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121001005/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_george-fernandes-being-treated-for-alzheimer-s-by-yoga-guru-ramdev_1336547|archive-date=21 January 2012}}</ref> In February 2010, Fernandes' brothers were reported to have been considering a court order for medical treatment and visitation; Kabir and Sean Fernandes are alleged to have forcibly removed Fernandes to an undisclosed location.<ref>{{cite news|first=D. P.|last=Satish|title=Ex-defence minister George Fernandes goes missing|date=20 February 2010|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/exdefence-minister-george-fernandes-goes-missing/110422-3.html?from=tn|work=[[CNN-IBN]]|access-date=7 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330210033/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/exdefence-minister-george-fernandes-goes-missing/110422-3.html?from=tn|archive-date=30 March 2010}}</ref> In July 2010, the Delhi High Court ruled that Fernandes would stay with Kabir and that Fernandes' brothers would be able to visit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-07-06/news/27570469_1_brothers-court-premises-delhi-high-court|work=[[The Economic Times]]|title=George to stay with wife: Court|date=6 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016231235/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-07-06/news/27570469_1_brothers-court-premises-delhi-high-court|archive-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

In August 2012 the [[Supreme Court of India]] granted permission to Jaya Jaitly, a former aide, to visit him, a move which was opposed by his wife on the grounds of her ''[[locus standi]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Supreme Court allows Jaya Jaitly to visit George Fernandes|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-31/news/33521584_1_political-colleague-and-confidante-leila-kabir-delhi-high-court|access-date=8 May 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=31 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202203602/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-31/news/33521584_1_political-colleague-and-confidante-leila-kabir-delhi-high-court|archive-date=2 December 2013}}</ref>

He died at the age of 88 on 29 January 2019, in Delhi following a [[swine flu]] infection.<ref name="TheHindu2019_jan">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-passes-away/article26117612.ece|title=George Fernandes, former Defence Minister, passes away|date=29 January 2019|access-date=29 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129122901/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-passes-away/article26117612.ece|archive-date=29 January 2019|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|quote=Former Defence Minister George Fernandes passed away on Tuesday in New Delhi, according to family members. He was 88. Mr. Fernandes had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The family is awaiting his son Sean Fernandes’ arrival from the United States to proceed with funeral arrangements. The funeral is scheduled to be held in New Delhi. 'We are saddened to announce the passing of Shri George Fernandes early this morning. Mr. Fernandes was attended to at his home by a Max Healthcare team, which found him unresponsive and declared him dead at 06:42AM on January 29th, 2019,' Max Healthcare hospital said in a statement.}}</ref><ref name="deathNDTV">{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-dies-at-88-after-long-illness-1984690|title=George Fernandes, Former Defence Minister, Dies At 88 After Long Illness|date=29 January 2019|access-date=29 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209133217/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-dies-at-88-after-long-illness-1984690|archive-date=9 February 2019|publisher=NDTV.com|quote=He contested the 1977 election from jail and won the Muzaffarpur constituency in Bihar by a landslide. George Fernandes became a hero of the Emergency. He was made minister when the Janata Party came to power in 1977 with Morarji Desai as Prime Minister. One of his prominent acts at the time was to force the exit of Coca Cola and IBM, which had refused to dilute their stake in their Indian associates. Coke left India and returned only two decades later. As Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Defence Minister, Mr Fernandes oversaw the Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998 and the Kargil war.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/updates-george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-dies-at-88-1984698|title=George Fernandes, Former Defence Minister, Dies At 88: Updates|website=NDTV.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203200455/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/updates-george-fernandes-former-defence-minister-dies-at-88-1984698|archive-date=3 February 2019|access-date=2019-02-13|quote=George Fernandes was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which had forced him out of the public eye for last many years, and had recently contracted swine flu, she said, adding that he died at his home in Delhi. George Fernandes was one of the most prominent leaders of the socialist movement in the 1970s.}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[National Democratic Alliance (India)]]
* [[Freethought]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
'''Bibliography'''
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book|last=Bogaert|first=Michael|year=1970|title=Trade unionism in Indian ports: a case study at Calcutta and Bombay|publisher=Shri Ram Centre for Industrial Relations}}
* {{cite book|first=Akshayakumar Ramanlal|last=Desai|title=Violation of democratic rights in India, Volume 2|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=1986|isbn=978-0-86132-130-8}}
* {{cite book|last2=Matthew|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|first2=George|title=Dignity for all: essays in socialism and democracy|publisher=Ajanta Publications (India)|year=1991|isbn=978-81-202-0318-1}}
* {{cite book|last2=Mathew|last1=Fernandes|first1=George|first2=George|title=George Fernandes speaks|publisher=Ajanta Publications (India)|year=1991|isbn=978-81-202-0317-4}}
* {{cite book|last1=Frank|first1=Katherine|title=Indira: the life of Indira Nehru Gandhi|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2002|isbn=978-0-00-638715-2}}
* {{cite book|last1=Ghosh|first1=Amitav|author-link=Amitav Ghosh|title=Incendiary Circumstances: A Chronicle of the Turmoil of Our Times|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|year=2007|isbn=978-0-618-87221-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TiG-pS2v3N0C|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last3=Vroom|first3=H. M.|last2=Jansen|first2=Henry|last1=Gort|first1=Jerald D.|title=Religion, conflict and reconciliation: multifaith ideals and realities|publisher=Rodopi|year=2002|isbn=978-90-420-1460-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xTC8ub8RN8C|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last1=Gupta|first1=U. N.|title=Indian Parliamentary Democracy|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=2003|isbn=978-81-269-0193-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oNco2lk5IpUC|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last1=Hardgrave|last2=Kochanek|first2=Stanley A.|first1=Robert L.|title=India: Government and Politics in a developing nation|publisher=Cengage Learning|year=2007|isbn=978-0-495-00749-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pSyRgcSQhuIC|access-date=6 March 2012}}
*{{cite book|last1=Dsouza|first1=Chris Emmanuel|title=Bandh Samrat – tales of an eternal rebel George Fernandes|publisher=Cleverfox publications|year=2022|isbn=978-9356480810}}
* {{cite book|last1=Herdeck|last2=Piramal|first1=Margaret|first2=Gita|title=India's industrialists, Volume 1|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|year=1985|isbn=978-0-89410-415-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xcbBEHHI-90C|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last3=Asia Research Centre|last2=Brown|last1=Hutchison|first1=Jane|first2=Andrew|title=Organising labour in globalising Asia|publisher=Routledge|year=2001|isbn=978-0-415-25060-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b5Rv196QrowC|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last3=Kesselman|first3=Mark|last2=Krieger|first2=Joel|last1=Joseph|first1=William A.|title=Introduction to Comparative Politics: Political Challenges and Changing Agendas|publisher=Cengage Learning|year=2009|isbn=978-0-547-21629-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x88s2oMsLkcC|access-date=6 March 2012}}
* {{cite book|last1=Kux|first1=Dennis|title=India and the United States: Estranged Democracies, 1941–1991|publisher=DIANE Publishing|year=1993|isbn=978-0-7881-0279-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zcylFXH9_z8C|access-date=6 March 2012}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|George Fernandes}}
* [http://164.100.47.194/Loksabha/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=122&lastls=14 Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
* [https://samataparty.org Samata Party] – official website. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215101928/https://samataparty.org/ |date=15 February 2022 }}.
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/George-Fernandes Ongoing news coverage] from The Times Network
* [http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/george-fernandes-rebel-without-a-pause-1.1175748 George Fernandes: Rebel without a pause] from ''[[Gulf News]]''
* [[1989 Valvettiturai massacre|India's My Lai]]
* [http://www.vpradeepkumar.com/george-fernandes-hero-of-post-independence-india/ vpradeepkumar.com story on George Fernandes]

{{S-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[S. K. Patil|Sadashiv Kanoji Patil]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Mumbai South (Lok Sabha constituency)|Mumbai South]]|years=1967–1971}}
{{s-aft|after=Kailas Narain Narula Shivnarain}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Nawal Kishore Sinha}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Muzaffarpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muzaffarpur]]|years=1977–1984}}
{{s-aft|after=Laliteshwar Prasad Shahi}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Laliteshwar Prasad Shahi}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Muzaffarpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muzaffarpur]]|years=1989–1996}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Vijay Kumar Yadav}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Nalanda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Nalanda]]|years=1996–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Nitish Kumar]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Muzaffarpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Muzaffarpur]]|years=2004–2009}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jai Narain Prasad Nishad]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{S-bef| before = [[Madhav Rao Scindia]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]]
| years = 1989–1990}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Janeshwar Mishra]]}}
{{S-bef| before = [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| years = 1998–2001}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Jaswant Singh]]}}
{{S-bef| before = [[Jaswant Singh]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| years = 2001–2004}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Pranab Mukherjee]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Railway Ministers of India|George Fernandes=George Fernandes}}
{{Defence Ministers of India|George Fernandes=George Fernandes}}
{{Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)}}
{{Ministry of Communications (India)}}
{{Indian Emergency}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandes, George}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Politicians from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Politicians from Mangalore]]
[[Category:Trade unionists from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Samyukta Socialist Party politicians]]
[[Category:Samata Party politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Party politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Party (Secular) politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Dal (United) politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bengaluru]]
[[Category:V. P. Singh administration]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Bihar]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Bihar]]
[[Category:India MPs 1967–1970]]
[[Category:India MPs 1977–1979]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1989–1991]]
[[Category:India MPs 1991–1996]]
[[Category:India MPs 1996–1997]]
[[Category:India MPs 1998–1999]]
[[Category:India MPs 1999–2004]]
[[Category:India MPs 2004–2009]]
[[Category:Indian people imprisoned during the Emergency (India)]]
[[Category:Journalists from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Indian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of India]]
[[Category:Railway ministers of India]]
[[Category:Commerce and industry ministers of India]]
[[Category:Praja Socialist Party politicians]]