Chidambaram snubs Modi on 26/11 'local link' remark

NEW DELHI: Union home minister on Wednesday snubbed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over his controversial remark about ���local link��� to the Mumbai attacks.

���Since Pakistan and Modi are saying the same thing on Mumbai attacks, so someone please ask Modi if he and Pakistan are in contact with each other,��� Chidambaram said.

"We have not received any official response," Home Minister P Chidambaram said when asked for an update on Pakistan's response to the dossier given to them on January five, PTI reported.

Asked whether Islamabad has sought DNA samples of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive while carrying out attacks in Mumbai, Chidambaram shot back at the questioner: "When did they ask you? I do not know. If they have asked you please pass on the letter to me."

Barely a day after Pakistan highlighted Modi's remark suggesting a 'local link' to the Mumbai terror attacks, the Gujarat chief minister issued a clarification, claiming that his comments were taken out of context.

According to Times Now, Modi clarified, "I have been quoted out of context. I had said that if Pakistan was doing such a big operation, then some local recce must have happened. There must have been some local networking. That is why I said that the Indian government should continue its dialogue with Pakistan, but it should also work and look into this aspect. I believe every aspect should be looked into."

Earlier, on Sunday (February 8), Modi had said, "If we single out that one incident (Mumbai attacks) and ask any person in this country, even with basic information and knowledge they will say that such a big terror attack on India cannot take place without any internal help from the nation itself."

PTI reported that on Tuesday, BJP sought to differentiate between Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and union minister A R Antulay's statements on the Mumbai terror attacks, claiming the former���s remarks had been wrongly interpreted.

"While Antulay's intentions were to rule out a Pakistani hand in the attack, Modi's statement was a clear effort to go to the roots of the conspiracy to find if there was any local logistic support provided to the attackers," BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley told reporters on Tuesday.

"Modi's statement has been wrongly interpreted. Pakistani Media has no right to jump to conclusions," he said.

"It is a subject of investigation and it will bring out the fact in due course of time," Jaitley said when asked if Modi had any clue of any local help provided to the terrorists while making the statement at the National Council meet on Sunday.

Dubbing Modi's statement that "Mumbai terror attack had local support" as "irresponsible", Congress had on Monday said that the BJP leader should have informed the police if he knew about it.

Calling for the need of domestic unity in the fight against terrorism, Congress said such statements not only provide ammunition to Pakistan but also weakens India's war against terror.

"We will request our so-called nationalist friends like Modi not to muddy the water.. and sow doubts," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Sangvi had said.