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“Karkare was killed in brush firing by terrorists”

Meena Menon

Karkare was killed in “brush firing” by terrorists: Home Minister

NAGPUR: Countering the allegations made by Union Minister for Minority Affairs A.R. Antulay, Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil clarified in the Assembly on Thursday that the government had complete conviction that Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare and the two senior police officers with him were killed in “brush firing” by terrorists near Cama Hospital on November 26, 2008.

While the Opposition pushed for an adjournment motion to discuss Mr. Antulay’s remarks, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the Congress had already said it was Mr. Antulay’s personal opinion and besides it was not possible to have a discussion about a person who was not present in the House.

The leader of the Opposition, Ramdas Kadam, slammed Mr. Antulay and said he could not have a personal opinion while speaking in Parliament and he was responsible for his remarks.

Mr. Patil, who made an exhaustive speech on the terror attack on Wednesday, reiterated that the government was absolutely convinced that the three police officers, including Karkare, were killed by terrorists who fired at them from a close range. The evidence given by the lone surviving terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman pointed to the same conclusion.

Besides the post-mortem reports were also available with the government, he said.

Intelligence report

However, the Home Minister did a turnaround on Thursday by admitting that intelligence information was received on the terror attacks in response to insistent questioning by Devendra Phadnavis of the BJP. He said though that the intelligence report was sent to the Naval Intelligence and the Coast Guard. Mr. Patil had to clarify amid slogan-shouting by the Opposition, which was dissatisfied on several counts.

The intelligence advisory in question DIB UO No 21/JTF 7 Nodal/2008(23)-4405 dated November 19, 2008 from the Intelligence Bureau signed by Prabhakar Alok gave information on a possible terror attack from the sea and also mentioned the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mr. Phadnavis submitted. Mr. Patil clarified that the government did not receive the said advisory and in any case it was not specific.

Mr. Kadam demanded that the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes (MCOCA) be applied on Maharashtra Director-General of Police A.N. Roy, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor and Additional Chief Secretary (home) Chitkala Zutshi, for being aware of the attack and doing nothing to prevent it. Mr. Kadam said Section 11 (3) of MCOCA had given powers to book these people. He said Mr. Antulay was “desh drohi” (anti- national) and there must be an inquiry into this.

Both Houses of the legislature were adjourned several times over Mr. Antulay’s remarks. The Assembly started on a stormy note with the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Opposition moving an adjournment motion to discuss the import of Mr. Antulay’s statement.

That effectively stalled question hour, and after the members made their point, Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar ruled against the adjournment motion saying that since the issue of the terror attacks was extensively debated in the Assembly, there was no need for another discussion. In addition, he said that since the government was setting up a high-level committee to probe allegations of negligence by Mr. Gafoor, Ms Zutshi and Mr. Roy, the committee could inquire into the allegations made by Mr. Antulay as well. That led to the first of the four adjournments as a furious Opposition shouted slogans and denounced Mr. Antulay.

The Speaker’s ruling led to more chaos as technically the State has no jurisdiction to inquire into a Central minister and the Speaker had to clarify on this count. The Chief Minister too was firm that the high-level committee cannot probe Mr. Antulay’s allegations and would stick to its original terms of reference. However, Eknath Khadse of the BJP while accepting this stand, wanted to move a condemnation motion to be passed unanimously by the house against Mr. Antulay.

Mr. Khadse said his remarks were defamatory to the policemen who were martyred in the attacks and it was an insult to the State.

Mr. Antulay should support his allegations with proof, he added.

However, this demand too was rejected by the Speaker saying that there was no precedent in the past to approve such a motion.

The Opposition dismissed the high-level inquiry into the three senior officials and said it had no meaning.

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