Jaswant lashes out at govt on terror policies

New Delhi, Mar 5 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh today offered to withdraw from the House any pending inquiry against him over allegations that he had carried money to be given to 1999 Kandahar highjackers to secure the release of 166 passengers.

Strongly criticising the UPA government's foreign policy and their approach against terrorism, he warned that a casual stand would have serious repercussions on national security.

Describing as ''very disappointing'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement in Lok Sabha earlier in which he referred to the Kandahar highjacking episode, Mr Singh sought to clear any misunderstanding on the issue saying the reason why he had gone in the same aircraft as the hijackers, was that there was place for only one aircraft to land on the airport.

''Number of canards have been spread on the incident. They have charged me with taking million of Dollars in bags. If the matter is investigated, till they complete the investigation I shall withdraw from the House,'' he added.

He described it (the release of the passengers) as a challenge to the entire country and not to a Party.

On the Parliament attack issue, he lashed out at the government for not taking any decision on the Supreme Court order of punishment to the main perpetrator.

''The UPA government is yet to take a decision in the matter...If we talk about debts, can I go back to the partition, do I go back to 1962, do I go back to the IPKF, setting Punjab on fire, setting Assam on fire and subsequently setting Jammu and Kashmir on fire...' he added.

Strongly criticising the UPA government for its dichotomy on stand against Maoist insurgency, he demanded that the government make its position clear specially when the Prime Minister and Home Minister Shivraj Patil had given contradictory statement.

MORE UNI RB SB HT1722