NEW DELHI, 24 July 2006 — Politicians and media pundits are deliberating over the charge levied by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh on there being a “mole” in late Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao’s government who leaked nuclear secrets to the US.
In his book “A Call to Honor” Jaswant claimed, “We are still being snooped.” While daring Jaswant to name the “mole,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday said, “If he (Jaswant) has the decency and courage, he should name the person who he is accusing of being a mole. We are not afraid of any debate on the issue.”
Manmohan said this at a luncheon meeting of party leaders convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee a day ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament. Accusing Jaswant of having deliberately made a false claim, Manmohan said, “This only shows that the opposition has no real issues and they are seeking excuses.”
Irrespective of whether the “mole” is named or not, the Congress-led government will have to give a lot of explanation to its allies and the opposition on upswing in Indo-US nuclear ties. If US President George W. Bush is going to be bound by the US Congress on the Indo-US nuclear deal, it is imperative for the Indian government to adhere to parameters set by the Parliament, according to Left bloc leaders. The “Parliament must set parameters and clearly define the limits, to which it (government) can proceed in this regard,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat said yesterday.
Left bloc, the external allies of the United Progressive Alliance government, has demanded that international treaties on major issues should be ratified by the Parliament. The BJP also threatened to stall parliamentary proceedings, if its adjournment motion on the Bombay serial blasts is not taken up for discussion. “We will move an adjournment motion (today) on Bombay bomb blasts. If the motion is taken up, the House will function,” senior BJP leader V.K. Malhotra said.
Charging the government with having failed to act in time despite having prior intelligence about terror strikes, Malhotra said that BJP and other National Democratic Alliance members would “forcefully and effectively” raise issues related to the internal security situation. Among the 70-odd issues identified by BJP are also charges of the appointment of alleged members of Lashkar-e-Taiba into the Indian Air Force.
Meanwhile, at a separate gathering, Home Minister Shivraj Patil dismissed charges on Islamic madrasas being a breeding ground of militancy. “We believe that Islamic madrasas are seats of social service. They are not the centers of terrorism,” Patil said while addressing a symposium on “Are madrasas viable seats of social service or breeding ground of terrorism,” where he was the chief guest.
Describing the Bombay blasts as reflective of vested interests trying to break the social fabric, communal harmony and brotherhood in society, Patil asserted that the government would not allow this.
