Sonia takes a leaf out of Advani's memoirs to take a dig at him
LK Advani’s memoirs, meant to enhance his appeal in the run-up to the elections, appear to be prone to political malfunctions.
By TNN |
JAIPUR: LK Advani���s memoirs, meant to enhance his appeal in the run-up to the elections, appear to be prone to political malfunctions. After columnists complaining about inadequacies in the literary enterprise and historians pointing out lack of research, it was the turn of Mr Advani���s political rivals to use the book for pushing the BJP���s prime ministerial candidate into an embarrassing corner.
Addressing a rally in Rajasthan���s Dungarpur, Congress president Sonia Gandhi questioned Mr Advani���s statement that he was not aware of the decision to send his cabinet colleague Jaswant Singh on the plane with dreaded terrorists to Kandahar. She wondered whether he was not trusted by the then prime minister on the issue.
���Now, the then home minister of NDA says he was not aware of it (Jaswant Singh accompanying terrorists). If he was not aware of it, why did this happen? What are we to understand? That the then prime minister did not trust him. Why didn���t he trust him?��� she asked.
Mr Advani had recently told a TV channel that he was not aware that Mr Singh would be on the plane to Kandahar. ���I didn���t know about it. He (Jaswant Singh) must have consulted Vajpayeeji,��� he had said. Asked when he came to know that Mr Jaswant Singh had gone on that plane, the former home minister had said: ���I came to know when he was going.���
That Mr Advani���s book has given the party talking points in its campaign was evident when the Congress president referred to former defence minister George Fernandes��� statement that Mr Advani was in the know of the Kandahar decision and asked why the then external affairs minister has not broken his silence. ���Who is speaking the truth and who is not. Why are they hiding the truth?,��� asked Ms Gandhi.
The Congress president, who used the references over Kandahar for launching a counter-offensive against the BJP over internal security issues, said the BJP has no right to allege that the UPA was soft on terror. ���I want to know which party pandered to terrorists and sent them away to Afghanistan. It was not the UPA but the BJP. Releasing terrorists in Kandahar was a major incident related to nation���s security. The BJP has no locus standi to talk on the issue,��� she said.
Mrs Gandhi���s scathing attacks confirm the BJP���s fears that the book would give the rivals a stick to beat it with. At a time when the BJP should be hurling volleys at the Centre, the party has to face grave charges. The Congress has already said that it will demand a discussion in Parliament on Mr Advani���s take on the Kandahar episode. This is sure to add to the party���s discomfiture.
Addressing a rally in Rajasthan���s Dungarpur, Congress president Sonia Gandhi questioned Mr Advani���s statement that he was not aware of the decision to send his cabinet colleague Jaswant Singh on the plane with dreaded terrorists to Kandahar. She wondered whether he was not trusted by the then prime minister on the issue.
���Now, the then home minister of NDA says he was not aware of it (Jaswant Singh accompanying terrorists). If he was not aware of it, why did this happen? What are we to understand? That the then prime minister did not trust him. Why didn���t he trust him?��� she asked.
Mr Advani had recently told a TV channel that he was not aware that Mr Singh would be on the plane to Kandahar. ���I didn���t know about it. He (Jaswant Singh) must have consulted Vajpayeeji,��� he had said. Asked when he came to know that Mr Jaswant Singh had gone on that plane, the former home minister had said: ���I came to know when he was going.���
That Mr Advani���s book has given the party talking points in its campaign was evident when the Congress president referred to former defence minister George Fernandes��� statement that Mr Advani was in the know of the Kandahar decision and asked why the then external affairs minister has not broken his silence. ���Who is speaking the truth and who is not. Why are they hiding the truth?,��� asked Ms Gandhi.
The Congress president, who used the references over Kandahar for launching a counter-offensive against the BJP over internal security issues, said the BJP has no right to allege that the UPA was soft on terror. ���I want to know which party pandered to terrorists and sent them away to Afghanistan. It was not the UPA but the BJP. Releasing terrorists in Kandahar was a major incident related to nation���s security. The BJP has no locus standi to talk on the issue,��� she said.
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Mrs Gandhi���s scathing attacks confirm the BJP���s fears that the book would give the rivals a stick to beat it with. At a time when the BJP should be hurling volleys at the Centre, the party has to face grave charges. The Congress has already said that it will demand a discussion in Parliament on Mr Advani���s take on the Kandahar episode. This is sure to add to the party���s discomfiture.
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