The Hindu : Advani misled Parliament: Azad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 27, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Advani misled Parliament: Azad

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu Nov. 26. The J&K Pradesh Congress chief, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today accused the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, of `misleading' Parliament when he said that the Central Government had written to the Jammu and Kashmir Government against ``acting in haste'' while releasing the militants.

In an impromptu debate in Parliament on Monday, Mr. Advani, also the Union Home Minister, said the State Government had not consulted the Centre before releasing the militants and called it a State Government decision. Also, the Centre had written to the State Government cautioning it against `acting in haste' and that it would be better if the Centre was consulted on such issues.

Talking to The Hindu here today, Mr. Azad said Mr. Advani had ``totally misled'' Parliament and also the entire country by claiming that his department had written to the State Government. ``I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he sent the letter and to whom," he asked.

Asking the Centre not to make the fight against terror a mere issue of political blame game, Mr. Azad said the fight against terror could succeed only if the State as well as the Centre coordinated efforts and avoided uttering words which went against national interests.

He said the statements of BJP functionaries criticising the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, on the terrorist attack in Jammu was most unfortunate.

``I am sorry that such a human tragedy is being seen with a political motive and hope these things will be avoided in the future."

The Congress wanted political unity as far as the fight against terror was concerned and it believed that every political setup should get together on thwarting such terrorists attacks.

Blaming Pakistan for trying to create disaffection among communities, Mr. Azad praised the people of Jammu for maintaining communal harmony. They had suffered a lot in the last one decade and yet were never provoked by such heinous crimes.

The Congress leader said the police force should not be discouraged.

``We should not try to blame the police for what has happened. They are working in a hostile environment and we have to understand that we are helpless vis-à-vis `fidayeen' (suicide) attacks as every country in the world is. But the Congress-PDP State Government had taken the attack seriously and initiated adequate preventive steps.''

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

'J&K Govt. was cautioned against release of militants'

CJI unlikely to recommend successor to Venkataswami

`U.P. Governor partisan'

Advani misled Parliament: Azad

Probe into charges against 3 judges

Ban on Naga outfit lifted

Advani favours death penalty for rapists

Scheme for `small borrowers'

Attempts suicide

Surrenders

Jet Airways CEO quits