New Delhi, December 11
High-profile Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has a penchant for stirring up controversies. And he has done it once again with the startling revelation that the “slain ATS Mumbai chief Hemant Karkare had called him up two hours before the terrorist attack to tell that his life was under threat from Hindu extremist groups, who were unhappy with his investigation into the Malegaon blasts”.

Digvijay Singh’s statements drew a stinging response from Karkare’s wife, who said this would only help Pakistan, while an angry Opposition was equally quick to attack the Congress leader and demand an explanation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi. The UPA government was equally discomfited with this statement as it has persistently underlined Pakistani involvement in the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and has been building international pressure on Islamabad to bring the perpetrators to justice.

An embarrassed Congress distanced itself from the AICC general secretary’s statement, saying the party had nothing to say about a private conversation. On his part, Digvijay Singh found himself on the defensive. Faced with a strong reaction from within and outside the party, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister clarified that he never suggested that Hindu terrorists were involved in Karkare’s killing. “As of now, evidence suggests that he was killed by Pakistani terrorists,” he told mediapersons.

Digvijay Singh maintained that he did not say that RSS was behind the terrorist attacks and had not questioned the incident. “26/11 is not an operation by a Hindu group,” he explained, adding that he had neither sought a fresh investigation into the attacks nor did he doubt the findings of the ongoing investigations.

Dissociating the Congress from the senior leader’s statement, AICC media department chief Janardan Dwivedi said, “It is regarding a conversation between two individuals. Unfortunately one of them, Karkare, is no more with us. So Digvijay Singh will be in a better position to comment on his statement.” The party had raised strong objections when senior party leader AR Antulay had spoken in the same vein some months ago.

Dwivedi said Karkare was apparently known to Digvijay Singh as the slain police officer’s family also hailed from Madhya Pradesh and the two had spoken because of their personal association. “(Digvijay) Singh has made a private conversation public at a programme and the party has no role in it. Hence only he can comment on it. The party has nothing to say on it,” he added.

This is not the first time that Digvijay Singh has created an embarrassing situation for the party and the government. He had critcised Home Minister P Chidambaram’s policy on Naxal violence and accused him of “intellectual arrogance”. He had also raised doubts about the Batla House encounter in which two policemen were killed and, on another occasion, he had suggested that former PM Rajiv Gandhi was aware of Carbide chief Warren Anedrson’s getaway from India after the Bhopal gas tragedy. Digvijay Singh said he had been speaking about the threats faced by Karkare for over two years. He said he had merely reiterated his observations at a book release function recently. Karkare, he said, had talked about a threat to his life from those opposed to his probe into the Malegaon blast, which allegedly involved Hindu extremists. Karkare, he added, was a "little depressed" that top BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, were questioning his integrity.

“After Malegaon blast, we nabbed people about whom I had prior knowledge. They were involved in terrorist activities. They were involved in the Mau bomb blast and Bhopal bomb blast. I knew all these," added Digvijay Singh. 

“This (Digvijay Singh’s statement) would only help Pakistan.”

— Kavita Karkare, the wife of slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare (in pic, left)

“It is regarding a conversation between two individuals. Unfortunately one of them, Karkare, is no more with us. So Digvijay Singh will be in a better position to comment on his statement.”  — Janardan Dwivedi, Cong

“The country's security, fight against terror and investigations into the 26/11 case has suffered a serious blow... Terrorists from across the border will question the entire 26/11 attacks.”  — Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP

New Delhi, December 11
India today formally lodged a strong protest with the United States over the “pat down” frisking of its ambassador in Washington Meera Shankar at an American airport and threatened to review the diplomatic privileges and courtesies New Delhi was extending to foreign diplomats if such incidents recur.

US Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Lu was called in to the foreign office by Javed Ashraf, Joint Secretary (Americas), in the External Affairs Ministry and firmly told that the frisking of the Indian envoy was “unacceptable” to New Delhi.

According to MEA sources, the US official was also told that Washington must sensitise the authorities at all its airports to cultural and religious sensitivities of foreign diplomats.

Shankar was subjected to a security search at the Jackson-Evers International Airport on December 4 when she was to board a flight to Washington after attending a function at the Mississippi State University.

She was reportedly singled out from a group of 30 passengers and pulled aside. Witnesses were quoted as saying in the local media that she was singled out as she was wearing a sari, and was patted down despite her diplomatic passport.

Ashraf conveyed to the US diplomat that despite the fact that the mission had followed the State Department's guidelines for expedited clearance for ambassadors and Shankar had presented her diplomatic identity, she had to undergo an enhanced security checking because “as we have been informed she was wearing a sari”.

The US diplomat was told that India understood and respected everybody's security procedures, but also expected that normal diplomatic privileges and courtesies were extended to ambassadors and Indian diplomats.

“India respects diplomatic privileges of foreign diplomats in India and extends diplomatic courtesies to them. Such incidents naturally lead to call for a review of privileges and facilities extended in India,” the sources quoted Ashraf as telling the US official.

The US deputy chief of mission was told that it was contrary to normal diplomatic practice and was inconsistent with excellent relations India and the US enjoyed, said the source. 

New Delhi, December 11
The Indian Army’s frontline fighting force comprising the infantry units will be equipped with the very latest assault rifles that will enable accurate shooting and faster reaction time. The infantry units will be equipped with rifles that have the latest features. At present, the Army uses the INSAS, which has so far done good service, as its stock weapon. Global suppliers have been asked to send in information about their products.

The requirement is for a rifle that will have a holographic sight as well as a telescopic sight for the shooter. A weapon with a visible laser target pointer and laser Illuminator which can make the target visible enabling the shooter to fire easily, is also being looked at. The Army also wants the rifle to have a de-attachable Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL).

Even as the search is on to provide the very latest in rifles, the Army wants the rifle to be made in a modular fashion. This means the replacement of sub-assemblies of the weapons can be done during an operation without use of any specialist tools. Another important change is the search for a rifle with a multi-caliber barrel. This means that the front firing barrel can be swapped as and when needed during operations. A higher caliber barrel fires a bullet that is more lethal.

New Delhi, December 11
Union Home Secretary GK Pillai today said neither had he heard nor seen the tapes of conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others. He termed the allegations of his leaking the tapes as “totally unfounded and false.”

A statement by Pillai said: “… I wish to clarify that neither I nor the Ministry of Home Affairs had access or have any access to any of the tapes concerning the interception of the telephones of Niira Radia”. The Home Secretary said he understood from the affidavits given by the Ministry of Finance (on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes) in the Supreme Court that some portion of the tapes had been given to the CBI for investigation. Pillai, a Kerala cadre IAS officer, known for his uprightness, said: “My interview to the Wall Street Journal (USA) has been misunderstood and quoted out of context. I had only stated that the interception of the telephone calls have been authorised by the Home Ministry on account of allegations concerning tax evasion/hawala, and that no tapes concerning tax evasion/hawala had appeared in the press”. “These were the subject matter of investigation by the CBDT and if these are substantiated, would be only disclosed later when the chargesheets are filed by the agencies concerned,” he added.

“Since I have neither heard nor seen the tapes, the allegation that I am leaking these tapes, at the behest of the Union Home Minister, is totally unfounded and false,” said Pillai.

The Wall street Journal had quoted Pillai as having said the Radia tapes that had come in public domain were only a "tip of the iceberg". The CBI had earlier told the Supreme Court that it had tapes of about 5,800 conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others. It had said it has prepared the transcripts of only 3,000 conversations. 

Chandigarh, December 11
Three senior army officers are in the dock for alleged immoral activities and unprofessional conduct while on a study tour as members of the prestigious Higher Command Course.

A court of inquiry ordered into the incident following complaints about the officers’ activities has reportedly held three Colonels prima facie blameworthy for misconduct involving gambling, women and liquor, sources revealed.

Disciplinary action has been recommended against a Colonel, which entails possible trial by a general court martial depending upon the outcome of subsequent proceedings. Administrative action had been recommended against two other colonels.

The court of inquiry ordered by the General Officer Commanding, 17 Mountain Division headquarters on directions of Headquarters 33 Corps, was presided over by the commander of an infantry brigade, Brig Siwach. It concluded this week.

According to sources, the prime accused in the case has been held blameworthy on seven counts, including visiting a casino against orders, misconduct with a woman employee of the hotel where the course members were staying, absent without leave and not reporting for duty at specified time.

Other officers have been held blameworthy for failing to exercise adequate command and control, failing to stop the officer’s misconduct and failure to inform the authorities concerned about the incident.

Following the incident, which took place earlier this month at Gangtok when the course members were on a tour of the north-east, the tour was cut short. While course members proceeded back to the Army War College, five Colonels were retained and attached with 17 Mountain Division for the court of inquiry.

The Higher Command Course, takes in selected officers to groom future leaders of the army. They are trained for command of a division and for holding senior staff appointments

BRIEFLY

Raja meets Karunanidhi:
Beleaguered former Telecom Minister A Raja on Saturday met DMK president M Karunanidhi, three days after the CBI raided his residence in connection with the 2G spectrum scam. Both were closeted for some time at the CIT colony residence of Chief Minister Karunanidhi, but the outcome was not known. — PTI