Cong stand on Ishrat case shows lack of pol understanding: Organiser

New Delhi, Apr 25: A pro-RSS publication today dubbed the Congress' stand that the fake encounter was the real issue in the Ishrat Jahan case as a "sign of deterioration" in its political understanding and said it is time to expose political "fixing" of opponents.

The editorial in RSS-linked journal 'Organiser' also raised questions about whether the "conspiracy" of changing the affidavit in the case was limited only to Congress or its links were spread outside the country.

"Congress party’s stand that the real issue is of fake encounter and, if at all, it is the home ministry that is responsible for changing the stand is sign of deterioration in the political understanding of the grand old party.

"Who were the unseen hands in hatching this conspiracy, were they limited to Congress or still entrenched in the system, was the conspiracy limited to Bharat or the links go beyond that are many such questions which need answers," the journal said.

Its editorial titled "Exposing political fixers" said one can draw conclusions from the attempt made by former Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to coin terms like "Hindu terror" and "saffron terror" and Rahul Gandhi telling former US Ambassador that "radical Hindu groups pose bigger threat than LeT in India".

It said, "This is a clear indication that the target was not just an individual but entire gamut of ideology which was seen as a political threat. The time is ripe to expose the strategy of political fixing of opponents while playing with the national security and democratic institutions."

The editorial said while in popular parlance "fixing" is usually associated with cricket, "the unravelling facts in the cases such as Samjhauta blasts and Ishrat Jahan encounter are pointing the needle of suspicion towards many prominent actors during the UPA government, who can be called 'political fixers'."

The journal said the "conspiracy" to underplay a terror plot in which Ishrat Jahan was involved and the revelation that the then Home Minister P Chidambaram signed both affidavits, claiming Ishrat to be JeM operative and later changing that stand, "has just ratified that grand design" of fixing the opponent ideology.

Referring to the NIAs investigation after it claimed there was no evidence against Lt. Col Prasad Purohit in the Samjhauta blasts case, the journal said it has raised questions about probe agencies, justice delivery system and, more importantly, the political class operating behind it.

Talking about Samjhauta blast case, it said US Treasury department declared Arif Qasmani, LET's chief coordinator alleged to be involved in the attack and his name was included in list of international terrorists by UN Security Council's Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee.

PTI