Ishrat case:BJP cites role of then HM,PM in changing affidavit

New Delhi, Mar 2: BJP today alleged that the decision to change the affidavit in Ishrat Jahan encounter case was taken at the "political level" involving the then Home Minister P Chidambaram, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and asked Congress to come clean on it.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu charged that CBI was misused by the then UPA government to harass its political opponent and "defame" the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is now Prime Minister.

He said the issue needs to be debated and discussed in Parliament and appropriate action needs to be taken.

"First it was Lashkar-e-Taiba's website, secondly it was David Headley's statement and thirdly it was central government affidavit in the Gujarat High Court and Gujarat Police also said it. IB has said it.

In spite of all these, they changed the affidavit. "Now another startling revelation by former Home Secretary G K Pillai (who is) saying that the decision to change the affidavit was taken at the political level.

Political level means the then Home Minister P Chidambaram, Prime Minister and Congress President. These are the three people who were at the helm of affairs," Naidu told reporters here.

He also cited former Under Secretary in Home Ministry R V S Mani's statement that he was forced and tortured.

"The torturing of government officer by other agency at the behest of political leadership, you can understand how much misuse was done by the previous government with regard to CBI.

How political opponents were harassed. The entire plan was to stop Narendra Modi, defame Narendra Modi, implicate Narendra Modi," he said.

"Congress party should come clean instead of simply denying it. What do you say? What is the justification for change in affidavit? Do you have an answer? explain," he said.

PTI