Jethmalani questions Advanvi on Kandahar

New Delhi, Apr 27: Former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani today questioned the claims of Leader of Opposition L K Advani that he was opposed to the release of jailed terrorists in exchange of the hijacked passengers onboard the Indian Airlines aircraft at Kandahar and squarely blamed the then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra for the fiasco.

Mr Jethmalani who shifted his allegiance to the UPA said in an interview to Hindi edition of the Outlook that if Mr Advani as Home Minister had opposed the decision as indicated at a newsconference at Pune recently, the matter should have come up for discussion before the Cabinet.

Mr Advani during the course of the Bharat Surakhsha Yatra had stated that he had expressed himself on the issue in the government and the then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh only implemented the Government's decision.

As a Law Minister he had advised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to remove Mr Mishra but it was not accepted. It was Mr Mishra who allowed the hijacked aircraft to leave Amritsar when it could have been easily detained either by putting some hurdles on the runway or puncturing the tyres. "But the man who handled things in such an incompetent manner was advising the country on security matters", Mr Jethmalani lamented.

He said after the Kandahar episode, he had told the Government that the Government had reduced itself to the level of a dhobi by delivering the detained terrorists at their doorsteps. "There was no difference between a dhobi delivering the washed and pressed clothes to the owners", Mr Jethmalani also an eminent jurist and a Nominated Rajya Sabha MP said.

The former Law Minister said he was angry with Mr Vajpayee on two counts. Firstly for not removing Mr Mishra and secondly for not removing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the post Godhra riots which were a blot on the administration and the Chief Minister had to go.

Replying to a question on Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Mr Jethmalani said she was being dominated by sycephopants. There were numerous advocates in the party but none advised her that she was occupying an office of profit.

UNI