Hemant Karkare

NEW DELHI: Minority affairs minister A R Antulay on Wednesday set off a major political row by demanding a probe into the shooting of Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare in the 26/11 terror strikes which he linked to investigations into the alleged involvement of Hindu radicals in the Malegaon blast case.

Stating that the circumstances of Karkare’s shooting “may be inquired into”, Antulay seemed to have borrowed a leaf from Pakistani TV hosts who have claimed that the Mumbai attacks were the handiwork of “Hindu-Zionists”. Antulay told the media outside Parliament’s gate number 12 that “there must have been some reason why Karkare went to Cama hospital instead of Taj and Oberoi hotels.”

Antulay said “someone” could have told Karkare and other officers with him to go to Cama hospital, suggesting that the ATS chief fell victim to a set-up as he was probing cases which involved Hindu radicals in the Malegaon case. The comments were immediately televised and triggered an uproar in Lok Sabha where BJP and Shiv Sena MPs vehemently criticised the minister who insisted that directions issued to the officer must be probed.

A red-faced Congress swiftly dissociated itself from the minister with party spokesperson Abhisekh Singhvi saying, “We don’t accept the inference and the innuendo that underline the statement (of Antulay)…we don’t agree with bringing this case (Karkare’s killing) under a cloud.”

But Antulay was unfazed, virtually daring the Congress to sack him and offering to “explain” the geography of south Mumbai to his party.

He got support from the RJD with party leader Devendra Yadav also expressing suspicion of involvement of Hindu radicals in Karkare’s killing. As his boss Lalu Prasad looked on approvingly, he said, “Two days before Karkare was killed, who had given a call for Maharashtra bandh?”

Reacting to the controversy, BJP condemned Antulay’s statement and said the minister was as good as playing ISI’s attorney and demanded his sacking. BJP leader Arun Jaitley said Pakistan could now quote Antulay to contest the account of the lone surviving Mumbai terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab. “Having made such a preposterous statement, Antulay cannot be allowed to remain in government even for a day,” he said.

Antulay has been fulminating since Tuesday evening when the Cabinet cleared the bills for a National Investigation Agency and amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He expressed apprehension that tougher anti-terror laws could well be misused, hinting that minorities were in the line of fire.

On Wednesday afternoon, Antulay added to this script, telling TV cameras that apart from terrorism, the laws should also emcompass communal riots. “Those who riot are also terrorists,” he claimed, seeking to provide what he felt was a sense of “equivalence” to the government’s actions. But soon after, perhaps dissatisfied by his efforts, Antulay reappeared to claim he suspected foul play in the shooting of Karkare.

The “Karakare conspiracy” has been articulated by some Urdu newspapers and clerics like the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid. This is despite the exhaustive account of Ajmal Kasab, who along with slain terrorist Ismail, shot Karkare, additional commissioner Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar. Also, a Mumbai police constable Jadhav, who actually survived the shooting by lying at the back of the qualis commandeered by Kasab and Ismail has given his account of the shooting as well.

Antulay’s blatant attempt to politicise the death of the Mumbai ATS chief at a time when the government was moving harder anti-terror laws may well have sounded the deathknell to the post 26/11 bipartisanship in fighting terrorism. It also places Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an arkward position. If Antulay continues as a minister without a full retraction, it would mean allowing the minister to undermine the government on the Mumbai attacks.

Antulay’s controversial comments provided fodder for an enraged Opposition. While Shiv Sena’s Anant Geete drew Lok Sabha’s attention to Antulay’s words, triggering a spat with treasury benches, the minister sought to present a defence by saying he had only questioned who had sent the top cops in the direction of Cama hospital when bigger attacks were happening at Taj and Oberoi. He was cut short by Geete that his statement was more categorical and was on TV.

Devendra Yadav demanded that home minister P Chidambaram constitute a “probe on the relation between terror and Sangh Parivar.”

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