What's left to clarify now, Mr Minister?
Even as the Manmohan Singh government finds itself in a bind over his remarks, minority affairs minister A R Antulay has dug his heels in, asserting that the Lok Sabha Speaker should allow him to clarify his remarks before giving the go-ahead to L...
By Devesh Kumar, ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Even as the Manmohan Singh government finds itself in a bind over his remarks, minority affairs minister A R Antulay has dug his heels in, asserting that the Lok Sabha Speaker should allow him to clarify his remarks before giving the go-ahead to Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee to make his statement on the row.
A defiant Mr Antulay sat through the proceedings of the Lok Sabha on Monday. Even as the Opposition BJP protested, raising slogans against him linking him to Pakistan and fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, he remained unfazed. At times, he���d gesticulate at the Opposition benches, at other times, he���d thump the bench angrily. But there was no denying that he was relishing every moment of it.
���I had gone to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee���s office this afternoon, but couldn���t meet him as he was out. I���ll come a bit early tomorrow to meet him. I want to request him to allow me to explain my position before permitting Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee to make his statement in the House on the issue,������ Mr Antulay told ET after the Lok Sabha was finally adjourned for the day at around 3.25 pm.
���I have already clarified my remarks. That the ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed by the Pakistani terrorists is not in doubt. I���ve merely raised questions over the manner in which he was killed. Instead of rushing toward Taj or Oberoi from the CST terminus, he went in the opposite direction to Cama Hospital. Why did he have to go there?������ the Congress leader asked.
The minority affairs minister denied that he was under any kind of pressure from his party to retract his statement or apologise for his remarks. ���No one from the party or the government has spoken to him yet,��� Mr Antulay said.
The Union minister appeared to be unrepentant over all the political brouhaha that had erupted in the wake of his remarks, and, it was evident, was bracing for the worst. ���I���m not afraid of anyone but the Allah,������ he reiterated, pointing towards the sky. ���No one, not even the BJP, can question my nationalist credentials. They assured me that they���d allow the House to continue if I clarified my position,������ Mr Antulay said.
A defiant Mr Antulay sat through the proceedings of the Lok Sabha on Monday. Even as the Opposition BJP protested, raising slogans against him linking him to Pakistan and fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, he remained unfazed. At times, he���d gesticulate at the Opposition benches, at other times, he���d thump the bench angrily. But there was no denying that he was relishing every moment of it.
���I had gone to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee���s office this afternoon, but couldn���t meet him as he was out. I���ll come a bit early tomorrow to meet him. I want to request him to allow me to explain my position before permitting Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee to make his statement in the House on the issue,������ Mr Antulay told ET after the Lok Sabha was finally adjourned for the day at around 3.25 pm.
���I have already clarified my remarks. That the ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed by the Pakistani terrorists is not in doubt. I���ve merely raised questions over the manner in which he was killed. Instead of rushing toward Taj or Oberoi from the CST terminus, he went in the opposite direction to Cama Hospital. Why did he have to go there?������ the Congress leader asked.
The minority affairs minister denied that he was under any kind of pressure from his party to retract his statement or apologise for his remarks. ���No one from the party or the government has spoken to him yet,��� Mr Antulay said.
The Union minister appeared to be unrepentant over all the political brouhaha that had erupted in the wake of his remarks, and, it was evident, was bracing for the worst. ���I���m not afraid of anyone but the Allah,������ he reiterated, pointing towards the sky. ���No one, not even the BJP, can question my nationalist credentials. They assured me that they���d allow the House to continue if I clarified my position,������ Mr Antulay said.
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