Digvijay asks if PM was aware of ISI hand in Kanpur derailment

"Is it that the prime minister is getting his information directly from the NIA, which the Union Home Minister is not aware?" asked Digvijay Singh.

New Delhi, March 22: Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday sought to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services-Intelligence's hand in the derailment of a train near Kanpur.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ganagaram Ahir responded in the Rajya Sabha that the attacks on railway tracks in the last few months were being probed but did not mention the ISI.

On November 20, 104 persons were killed and another 150 injured when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan station, about 60 km from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, in response to a question by Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut on the role of ISI and others in attacks on railway tracks, Ahir said that the National Investigation Agency was probing the matter.

"On February 23, the prime minister had said in an election speech in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh that police had found a huge conspiracy hatched by people sitting across the border," Singh said.

"My question is: Was the prime minister aware of the specific hand of ISI and Pakistan in the Kanpur incident when he delivered the speech in Gonda?" he asked.

"Is it that the prime minister is getting his information directly from the NIA, which the Union Home minister is not aware?"

In response, Rajnath Singh said Modi did not specifically name the ISI in his speech.

"We are all aware that most terror activities in India are sponsored by our neighbouring country," Rajnath Singh said.

IANS