Congress launches counter-offensive on BJP Kandahar defence

New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) In a counter-offensive on the BJP's defence of its Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani's Kandahar remarks, the Congress today said it owed an explanation to the nation as to how the NDA government functioned without knowing the crucial developments in the country's hour of crisis.

"This is a serious issue. God forbid, if the BJP-led NDA government comes back at the Centre, it is the way the government will be run," mocked Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi.

At a regular briefing, the Congress spokesperson was referring to BJP chief Rajanth Singh's defending Mr Advani's statement on Kandahar episode in his book-" My Country, My Life," saying it was a forced situation wherein ethics could not be a parameter.

Mr Singh said yesterday that the NDA government was forced to take the decision( to release terrorists) under pressure from the "Congressmen demonstrating before the Prime Minister's office." Taking a dig at Mr Singh's" approval," Mr Singhvi said the BJP had "adopted all the errors, misrepresentations, wrongs and false statements given by Mr Advani, which even the NDA Convenor George Fernandes and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah have contradicted." The Congress spokesperson said the nation had the right to know how the NDA government functioned at an critical hour when the Home Minister was not in the know of crucial developments." Does it not amount to misgovernance or non-governance?" To a specific query pertaining to the Congress" over- kill", Mr Singhvi said the issue was paramount as it pertained to country's security." Besides this is an issue related to a person, who is being projected as the NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate." He said the BJP had neither denied, rejected nor clarified Mr Advani's comments on the Kandahar and other episodes, dubbed as "safaid jhooth aur fareb( plain untruth and fraud)." Asked how long the Congress planned to talk about Mr Advani's book, Mr Singhvi said so long as Mr Rajnath Singh continued to defend it." We don't mind the controversy over the book giving a push to its sales, so long as it continued to expose the BJP's acts of omissions and commissions." UNI PMD/KSA RP ht1812