The Hindu : National : Jaswant was "irresponsible" in handling security: Dasmunsi

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Wednesday, Aug 02, 2006

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Jaswant was "irresponsible" in handling security: Dasmunsi

Special Correspondent

From where did he get the document on the "mole"?

NEW DELHI: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi has charged the former External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, with "irresponsible and careless handling of the security situation in the country right from 1998 to the last day of holding office."

Talking about the "mole in the PMO" matter raked up in Mr. Jaswant Singh's book Call to Honour - In Service of Emergent India Mr. Dasmunsi wondered where he got the so-called "document" establishing (or not establishing) that there was a "mole" in the office of the former Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, who was giving away India's nuclear secrets to the Americans.

He was given more than two hours to come up with a name in the Rajya Sabha, and he failed to do so. Hence, Mr. Jaswant Singh, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, should explain whether he got the "document" from the Central Intelligence Agency or the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States, Mr. Dasmunsi said.

He wanted to know whether Mr. Jaswant Singh had come under "pressure" from either of these two organisations to withhold the name from Parliament.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader had a lot to answer for, the Minister said. Why did he not reveal the "document" and the name of the "mole" when he was in Government for a full 6 years and 13 days? Was he being blackmailed by the alleged "mole" or was he under pressure from the Americans not to disclose the name? Now the "mole" matter was firmly in the BJP's court. It is for the Opposition to come up with the name or continue to conceal the name and protect the "mole."

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may not have been in the Army, but he has proven to be more courageous than the former captain," Mr. Dasmunsi said. After the debate in the Rajya Sabha, it was for the people to judge the issue. He thought the BJP had been "thoroughly exposed."

He charged him with violating the oath of secrecy by talking about Cabinet decisions taken during the Vajpayee regime.

The Minister quipped: "If only he had been frank that he wanted to sell his book, all MPs could have helped to hawk it and each one of them would have bought 50 copies."

Congress party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi charged Mr. Jaswant Singh with taking the country and the people for a ride on a sensitive matter when the main aim was to seek publicity for his book.

He dubbed Mr. Singh's performance on the issue in the Rajya Sabha as the "most outstanding example of beating about the bush." After climbing mountains and coming down valleys and finding many holes, the House could not find the "mole."

The whole affair was yet another example of the "typical BJP flip, flop and flip," he said.

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