Jamia jitters in Cong: 145;we must come clean on police encounter146;

Caught between the exigencies of election-eve politics and the need to repair its abysmal record on internal security...

Caught between the exigencies of election-eve politics and the need to repair its abysmal record on internal security, the Congress said today that it needs to address 8220;questions raised8221; about the September 19 Jamia Nagar encounter in which two alleged terrorists were killed along with an inspector.

This despite the fact that the city8217;s police come under the Congress-led UPA, the encounter happened in a state run by the party8217;s government and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was at the Delhi Police headquarters that day.

Party leaders met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit asking for a judicial probe into the encounter.

Speaking to reporters, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said today that 8220;questions have been raised about the September 19 Jamia Nagar encounter which have to be addressed.8221; At the same time, he maintained that this matter was 8220;too sensitive for the party to take a political stand8221; in the absence of complete facts.

Said AICC Secretary Parvez Hashmi: 8220;Reports have created apprehension among the minority community about the police encounter being fake. I, Kapil Sibal, some advocates and professors and representatives of the RWAs, therefore, met the Chief Minister on Monday to demand a judicial inquiry. She said she would talk to the Prime Minister. We will also meet the Prime Minister in this connection.8221;

Union Minister Sibal, when contacted, said he was present in the meeting with the CM but was not part of the delegation. 8220;I just joined the proceedings. I had earlier gone to Batla House. It was, therefore, my duty to apprise the Congress President of the situation. I will also convey it to the Prime Minister,8221; Sibal said.

Ruling party sources said that the leadership was concerned about the 8220;growing resentment8221; among the minority community against the incident.

Story continues below this ad

This is also indicative of growing nervousness in the Congress in an election year. While the government must fight terror and be seen to fight it, the party must find the language to address the increasing disquiet in the Muslim community. A community seen for long as a traditional Congress constituency but one the party cannot take for granted in an increasingly fragmented polity.

Asked whether there was a political discussion within the party on framing a coherent strategy on internal security at a time when terrorism is also seen as 8220;homegrown8221;, Salman Khursheed said: 8220;It8217;s not yet coordinated8230;but jigsaw pieces. All this will come together in November-December.8221;

This articulation of doubts comes days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the UPA Government has 8220;no fixed, inflexible or ideological view8221; on stronger anti-terror legislation.