Pakistan debate in Gujarat: Manmohan Singh asks PM Modi to apologise, Jaitley hits back

"Congress must come out with detailed facts what transpired in that meeting and what was the necessity of having it in present circumstances," the Finance Minister said

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley lashed out at Manmohan Singh for seeking PM Narendra Modi’s apology. (Express photo)

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday lashed out at Manmohan Singh for seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s apology over his comments on a “secret meeting” between Pakistani officials and Congress leaders. “Former PM Manmohan Singh has issued a statement asking PM Modi to apologise for what he said in an election rally with regard to a meeting involving Pakistani delegations. It is surprising that Congress expects the PM to apologise for it,” ANI quoted Jaitley as saying.

Earlier in the day, Singh accused the PM of setting a “dangerous precedent” with his “ill-thought transgression” and asked him to apologise to the nation. Singh was referring to Modi’s remarks at a rally in Gujarat on Sunday, wherein the PM claimed Pakistan’s High Commissioner, a former foreign minister, India’s former vice-president and Singh held a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house and the next day the suspended Congress leader called him ‘neech kisam ka aadmi’.

Terming the meeting with Pakistan diplomats without informing the government a “misadventure” of the Congress, Jaitley asked the party to reveal the details on the minutes of the meeting. “Congress must come out with detailed facts what transpired in that meeting and what was the necessity of having it in present circumstances. Yesterday they were in denial about it and today, instead of accepting it as a misadventure, they are trying to blame those raising the issue,” Jaitley said.

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The Monday morning drama started after Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said India should not drag the country into its elections. “India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible,” Faisal tweeted.

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With the incident turning into a full-blown war between the BJP and Congress, the Grand Old Party fielded Manmohan Singh to clear the air regarding the meeting. Singh expressed anguish at the “falsehood” and “canards” being spread by PM Narendra Modi to “score political points” and said the discussion during the meeting with Pakistani officials was confined to bilateral relations.

“I reject the innuendos and falsehoods as I did not discuss Gujarat elections with anyone else at the dinner hosted by Mani Shankar Aiyar as alleged by Shri Modi. Nor was the Gujarat issue raised by anyone else present at the dinner. The discussion was confined to India-Pakistan relations. Names of the distinguished Indian public servants and journalists present at the dinner are enclosed to this statement. None of them could be accused of indulging in any anti-national activities,” Singh said.

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The Indian Express reported on Monday that the dinner meeting was held on December 6 at Aiyar’s residence in Delhi during the visit of Pakistan’s former foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri to India and among those present was also a former Indian Army chief.

Continuing his counter-offensive against the PM, Singh said, “Fearing imminent defeat in Gujarat, the desperation of Modi to hurl every abuse and latch on to every straw is palpable. Sadly and regrettably Modi is setting a dangerous precedent by his insatiable desire to tarnish every constitutional office, including that of a former PM and Army Chief.”

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