Says No Fake Encounter; BJP Gets Ammo
New Delhi: Home minister P Chidambaram on Thursday firmly rejected Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s claim that the Batla House encounter case was fake, ruling out reopening the case which resulted in the killing of Indian Mujahideen commander Atif Ameen.
“After looking into the matter, we came to the conclusion that the encounter was genuine,” Chidambaram said. His forthright remark came even as BJP attacked the Congress leadership and PM Manmohan Singh of indulging Digvijay Singh’s “dirty politics for the sake of votes” over the September 2008 encounter in Delhi.
“Every authority who has looked into it (the case) has agreed that it was a genuine encounter. So, while there is a difference of opinion, I think the matter rests where it stands today. I don’t think there is any scope for reopening that matter,” Chidambaram said. While he confirmed that Singh had doubts about the encounter in which Delhi Police lost inspector Mohan Chandra Sharma, one of its most decorated officers, he was firm in ruling out the demand for a fresh probe.
Chidambaram’s assertion is significant because Singh’s statements on Batla House have been widely seen as crafted to help the Congress attract Muslims on whose support the party’s prospects for UP are based. Singh, who made his latest intervention on the encounter at Azamgarh on after a group of Muslim youths heckled Rahul Gandhi and burnt his effigy, said on Thursday that he stood by his stand.
Significantly, BJP, which never misses an opportunity to target Chidambaram, seemed to be appreciative of him. “If the home minister says the encounter was genuine, how did Digvijay term it fake?” BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad asked. The party sought clarification from the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi.
‘EC order won’t impact quota plan’
Playing down the EC order against the government’s 4.5% sub-quota plan, the government on Thursday said the order would not impact the implementation of quota for minorities this year. “It is not a setback...It is being put on hold for the period of elections that can only be until the 6th of March,” home minister P Chidambaram said, adding that the quota could be implemented for appointments and admissions made in 2012. Defending the decision, he said there was “nothing wrong” with the notification as it was made well before the model code of conduct came into force. He also rubbished reports of policy paralysis within the government. “The argument that there is a paralysis that has gripped the government is an argument that is patently incorrect, untenable and absurd,” Chidambaram said.
New Delhi: Home minister P Chidambaram on Thursday firmly rejected Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s claim that the Batla House encounter case was fake, ruling out reopening the case which resulted in the killing of Indian Mujahideen commander Atif Ameen.
“After looking into the matter, we came to the conclusion that the encounter was genuine,” Chidambaram said. His forthright remark came even as BJP attacked the Congress leadership and PM Manmohan Singh of indulging Digvijay Singh’s “dirty politics for the sake of votes” over the September 2008 encounter in Delhi.
“Every authority who has looked into it (the case) has agreed that it was a genuine encounter. So, while there is a difference of opinion, I think the matter rests where it stands today. I don’t think there is any scope for reopening that matter,” Chidambaram said. While he confirmed that Singh had doubts about the encounter in which Delhi Police lost inspector Mohan Chandra Sharma, one of its most decorated officers, he was firm in ruling out the demand for a fresh probe.
Chidambaram’s assertion is significant because Singh’s statements on Batla House have been widely seen as crafted to help the Congress attract Muslims on whose support the party’s prospects for UP are based. Singh, who made his latest intervention on the encounter at Azamgarh on after a group of Muslim youths heckled Rahul Gandhi and burnt his effigy, said on Thursday that he stood by his stand.
Significantly, BJP, which never misses an opportunity to target Chidambaram, seemed to be appreciative of him. “If the home minister says the encounter was genuine, how did Digvijay term it fake?” BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad asked. The party sought clarification from the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi.
‘EC order won’t impact quota plan’
Playing down the EC order against the government’s 4.5% sub-quota plan, the government on Thursday said the order would not impact the implementation of quota for minorities this year. “It is not a setback...It is being put on hold for the period of elections that can only be until the 6th of March,” home minister P Chidambaram said, adding that the quota could be implemented for appointments and admissions made in 2012. Defending the decision, he said there was “nothing wrong” with the notification as it was made well before the model code of conduct came into force. He also rubbished reports of policy paralysis within the government. “The argument that there is a paralysis that has gripped the government is an argument that is patently incorrect, untenable and absurd,” Chidambaram said.
No comments:
Post a Comment