L K Advani brings out fresh controversy on Kandahar hijack

L K Advani’s biography My Country, My Life continues to make news but one of his remark during an interview aired on NDTV, that he was unaware of Jaswant Singh’s plan to travel to Kandahar has not been received too well by the Congress and others party leaders.

This controversy has ripped off differences that erupted in BJP after militants were swapped to save the passengers on the flight IC 814 in 1999.

Advani’s admittance that he was not a part of the decision to send Jaswant Singh the then foreign minister in the NDA government to Kandahar along with terrorist has been put to trial by the Congress.

Reacting to Advani’s remark Abhisekh Singhvi, the spokesperson of Congress said, “All the good that happened (in the NDA government) can be attributed to him (Advani) and the bad to Vajpayee.”

While (All India Congress Committee) AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh told the reporters that Advani is lying and asked that if it is true then why he did not resigned as Home Minister. He also asked the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh to clarify the matter on this regard.

Reportedly Rahul Gandhi too raised the same issue at AICC Publicity Meeting on Monday.

The remark at this time can inflict damage to Advani’s prime ministerial candidate and BJP party as a whole. The controversy has highlighted the differences Advani had with Kandahar issue as well as other issues and that it can be further tarnishing.

Giving answers to the reporters, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy told, “It is true (that) Advani was not aware that Jaswant would accompany the terrorists. He came to know only when he (Jaswant) was going.”

When he was asked of why Advani was not aware of the crucial decision, Rudy seems to be caught but quickly cornered himself and said that Advani was a part of decision to release the terrorists but he was not aware of their trip to Kandahar.

Advani who echoed his remark has left Jaswant Singh to justify, who for sure have been isolated in the whole episode.