Click to play videoNew Delhi: With the Government rejecting the conspiracy theory propounded by him over the death of Anti-Terroism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, Union Minister A R Antulay on Tuesday said, “there was no need for further probe” on the issue which was now “settled”.
“The Home Minister's statement has clarified all doubts, a statement is laid in the House or read by the Home Minister of the country, then one has to believe it,” he told reporters outside Parliament house.
His statement came minutes after Home Minister P Chidambaram tabled the statement on the circumstances leading to the death of Karkare and other police officers during Mumbai terror attacks.
He added that there was no need for a further probe after the statement of Chidambaram.
“For me the matter is settled. My request was to make an enquiry. Home Minister has given the statement only after the enquiry," said the minister, whose comments raising doubts about the circumstances leading to the death of Karkare stirred a hornets' nest.
To a poser on resignation from the Cabinet, he said the opposition will have to “touch my feet and ask for my resignation or touch the feet of the Prime Minister and ask him for Antulay's sacking.”
He maintained that he had not mentioned about any “conspiracy” but only “raised doubts on two points: why the three officers went in the same car and why they moved towards Cama Hospital” instead of going to Oberoi or Taj where the real action was taking place.
Asked whether the probe results were correct, Antulay said, "I am not a police officer, who am I to sit in the judgement to say whether the probe was right or not.”
On the Opposition charging him with helping Pakistan, Antulay said, “My loyalty to the country is much more than of those who are questioning my loyalty. If Antulay is supporting Pakistan then everybody in India is supporting Pakistan.”
Antulay, however, remained non-committal on whether he had resigned, maintaining “I will neither confirm nor deny it”.
“Use your common sense, I have done what your common sense tells in this matter," was his brief reply to repeated questions on whether he submitted his resignation to the PM or not," he added.
To a question about his future course of action, Antulay said, “What is the future course of action of a Congressman? If I had to meet the Prime Minister over this issue, I would have met him earlier. But what is the problem if I meet them. I am a Congressman, a Congress MP.”
He reacted sharply to a question whether he planned to tender an apology for his statement on Karkare.
“Where is the question for apology? What apology?” I did a very good thing by raising the issue," he argued.
When asked whether he still enjoyed the support of Congress party, the minister shot back, “when did the Congress party lose its trust in me? The trust of the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi in me was never lost.”
When pointed out that Home Minister P Chidambaram's report snubbed his views over Karkare's killing, he argued, "No, where in the report is my name (Anutlay) written.”
To a question whether Chidambaram's statement was in response to his doubts, Antulay said," Whether it is meant in reply to my doubts or a general statement, I do not know. But this report has cleared my doubts.”
On the Opposition's tirade against him, the minister said, “If somebody needs to be examined mentally, let him go to the hospital. Antulay cannot cure him.”
The minister rubbished suggestions that Congress or the UPA Government ever asked him to “either retract or resign”.
Reacting sharply to a volley of questions by reporters over his remarks, Antulay shot back, “I am not in the dock to be cross-examined. Because I am friendly to media, I am not to be taken for a ride.”
Clarifying his statement that Karkare was one among million, he said that he did not say in reference to Malegaon blasts.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Government's statement in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, BJP Leader Prakash Javadekar said that Antulay will have to go.
"What is the Government's stand on Antulay? What is the Government's stand on Antulay's statement? That, the Home Minister's statement doesn't say anything about. Antulay has betryaed the country and he must go. The Government is speaking in two voices," Javadekar stated.
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