The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday alleged difference of perception between the External Affairs and Home Ministries in the David Headley issue, and sought to know the kind of cooperation being given by the U.S. intelligence agencies to their Indian counterparts.
As soon as the House assembled, members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Left parties and the Samajwadi Party wanted the government to spell out whether the U.S. agencies had put Headley under watch before the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, and whether information was shared with India. With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh present in the House and nodding in agreement, Chairman Hamid Ansari said the government would respond at an appropriate time. Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitely felt the case was becoming more and more curious by the day, with reports suggesting that Headley was a double agent, working for the Central Intelligence Agency too. Some reports said his visa application papers had disappeared, while others noted that they had reappeared. "We want to know the extent of cooperation extended by the FBI. It is reported that the FBI had recordings prior to 26/11. Was that information made available to us? What the U.S. agency is doing to us is doubtful," he said.
Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also wanted to know the extent of cooperation given by the U.S. agencies, especially in the light of the contradictory statements made by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry. While Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao gave "some sort of a certificate" to the FBI, saying it was extending full cooperation, the Home Ministry expressed concern over the amount of cooperation.
ADVERTISEMENT