Editing V. P. Singh (section)

=== Minister of Defence (1987) ===
In the year 1987, Singh was appointed on the position of [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Defence Minister of India]] for the first time but only for a period less than 3 months from 24 January 1987 to 12 April 1987. He was at that time preceded by [[Rajiv Gandhi]] and succeeded in his position by [[Krishna Chandra Pant]]. At that time due to his non-corrupt image, he was also called 'Mr. Clean'.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Mr Clean VP singh |url=https://pragmaticideas.wordpress.com/tag/mr-clean-vp-singh/|access-date=15 September 2020|website=Realistic News|language=en}}</ref> He was not able to do any good work for Defence due to holding the position for such a short time. But his biggest work was in the import of [[Bofors]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Contact Us – IndiaInfoline|url=https://www.indiainfoline.com/contactus|access-date=15 September 2020|website=www.indiainfoline.com|language=en}}</ref> Once ensconced in South Block, Singh began to investigate the notoriously murky world of defence procurement. After a while, word began to spread that Singh possessed information about the [[Bofors scandal|Bofors]] defence deal (the infamous arms-procurement fraud) that could damage Gandhi's reputation.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/23/world/indian-government-lodges-first-charges-in-weapons-scandal.html?scp=57&sq=%22v%20p%20singh%22&st=cse Indian Government Lodges First Charges In Weapons Scandal]. ''The New York Times''. (23 January 1990). Retrieved 14 September 2011.</ref> Before he could act on it, he was dismissed from the Cabinet and, in response, resigned his memberships in the Congress Party (Indira) and the Lok Sabha.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/24/world/turmoil-and-a-scandal-take-a-toll-on-gandhi.html?scp=199&sq=%22v%20p%20singh%22&st=cse Turmoil and a Scandal Take a Toll on Gandhi]. ''The New York Times''. (24 August 1987). Retrieved 14 September 2011.</ref> The deal of Bofors also played a very crucial role in making of his [[Prime Minister of India]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last1=Dilip|first1=M.|date=2019-11-27|title=It's a puzzle why VP Singh was never accepted by OBCs even after Mandal Commission|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/v-p-singh-the-unsung-hero-who-was-hated-by-upper-castes-dumped-by-obcs/327230/|access-date=2020-10-29|website=[[ThePrint]]|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002152537/https://theprint.in/opinion/v-p-singh-the-unsung-hero-who-was-hated-by-upper-castes-dumped-by-obcs/327230/|archive-date=2 October 2020}}</ref>