Congress seeks apology from BJP over Haneef episode

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) The Congress today said Australia's decision to drop terrorism charges against Dr Mohammed Haneef had totally vindicated the legitimate concerns expressed by the Party and the UPA government, but exposed the "irresponsible and slanderous" campaign unleashed by the BJP against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for standing up for the innocent victim.

"The BJP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani should apologise to the Prime Minister for their irresponsible utterances against him for standing up for Haneef against whom there is no evidence over his connection with a failed car bomb plot in Britain," AICC Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons.

In this context, he came down heavily on Mr Advani for his reported statement accusing Dr Singh of "appeasing terrorism." He said the party was happy that the rule of land had at last prevailed and that the Australian government had decided to release Dr Haneef unconditionally and with honour.

"Our party has always stood for fair, non-discriminatory and transparent approach in dealing with issues where emotions cannot be allowed to displace sobriety," Dr Singhvi said, while complementing Dr Singh and the Government for standing up for the cause of a fair treatment of the innocent victim.

He said the Congress Party and the Government had made their points fully unambiguously, yet made them within the norms of international relations.

Replying to a question, he said today's decision of the Australian government was a resounding political slap to such irresponsible and slanderous campaign against the Prime Minister by the BJP.

"For Mr Advani, everything is part of a political vote bank game...the BJP tries to fool the people through provocative statements," Dr Singhvi said, adding that "Mr Advani thinks of conscience only when he thinks about conscience vote." When a reporter pointed out that the Congress Party had never come out openly in support of Dr Haneef, he said "from day one...one entity which has spoken out in support of the innocent victim was the Congress, the government and several of ruling UPA coalition partners." Twenty-seven-year-old Haneef had been charged with recklessly supporting terrorism by providing a mobile phone SIM card to his second cousin Sabeel Ahmed, one of the accused in the failed car bomb plot in Britain.

Dr Haneef was detained by Australian police on July 2 while he was about to leave for India and was questioned over his links to those suspected of planning a June car bomb plot in Britain.

Asked if the Congress Party and the Government would take up the case of Sabeel Ahmed also, Dr Singhvi said "we have expressed our concern about only one man (Dr Haneef) because of our belief that the evidence against him was frivolous.'' Replying to a question on whether the government would take a lenient view of Mohammed Afzal Guru, whose mercy petition was pending before the President after the apex court confirmed his death sentence for his role in the Parliament attack case, Dr Singhvi said the Congress Party had already made known its stand on this issue earlier. "The stand remains the same." UNI SH SM RN1823