Union Minister for Minority Affairs Janab Abdul Rehman Antulay has needlessly kicked off a controversy, by raising doubts over the killing of former ATS Chief Mr. Hemant Karkare, on the dreadful night of 26/11 in Mumbai, which was the most horrendous carnage to have happened any body in any part of the world, at the hands of the terrorists.
Participating in the debate over the two separate bills introduced by the UPA government for the establishment of NIA (National Investigation Agency), Mr. Antulay created a ruckus in Parliament on Wednesday by unwarrantedly raising this issue, without having any slightest proof of it.
In fact, there is no controversy at all, on this point that the troika of Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar all were killed by Kasab and his associate terrorist Imran on the backside entrance of Cama Hospital, which is at a stone throw's distance from CST Railway Station, where the terror duo had mercilessly killed nearly 60 innocent persons few minutes earlier.
It is an entirely separate issue whether Karkare, Kamte & Salaskar ought to have gone through the same vehicle (Toyota Qualis) belonging to a local police station, by giving up or getting down from their own respective vehicles, in pursuit of terrorists on the basis of sketchy information, who had alighted from the foot over bridge close to the Times of India building & Anjuman Islam High School. Or whether Karkare ought to have sent his subordinates in their chase first and that he should have remained as their back up. etc. This is an endless debate and if we go on churning it, the lives of three precious police officers of Maharashtra Police won't be restored.
At that time, the situation was such that there was no time at all to plan out a strategy or to ponder over the ways and means to tackle ultras. It was an unprecedented situation of its kind, which no police officer in any part of the world would have ever experienced. Mr. Karkare arrived at the scene within few minutes, after he got the news of bullet spree started by the due at CST Railway Station after he had dropped into his ATS Office (few Kms. away from CST Railway Stations) after meeting then Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil.
In fact, many were watching live on numerous the television channels of Mr. Karkare getting down from his white TATA Indigo vehicle, putting on his helmet while wearing his blue colour executive shirt. Then putting on the 'so called' bullet proof jacket, which was barely able to withstand incidents of stone throwing, etc.
The terrorists who were unlikely to have the knowledge of the minute details of the lanes and by - lanes on the back side of TOI & Anjuman Islam High School, were also not knowing to whom they were firing at when the vehicle driven by PI Vijay Salaskar came in front of them on the backside of Cama Hospital. Presumably, after seeing the blinking amber light on the top of the vehicle, the Kasab & his deceased colleague, went on firing police vehicle after noticing that it was a police vehicle coming to chase them. The original driver vehicle of Jadhav, who was asked to sit on the back side by the deceased troika was the only man to get escaped from the firing, as he must have presumably ducked, when the bullet sprees were showered on the police vehicle from the front.
After killing the troika, Kasab and his colleague threw out the bodies of the three officers (of Salaskar from the front seat & that of Karkare & Kamte from the back seat). Whereas, the driver Jadhav, who pretended to be dead was also thrown out of the vehicle by them from rear side, before they could hijack the vehicle towards Metro Cinema.
All this happening was being seen by many people from the 5th & 6th floor of Cama Hospital and many claimed to have seen Inspector Vijay Salakar lying in the pool of blood and was desperately requiring medical help. But none could risk their lives to come to his aid, with the fear that they too might face the same fate, if any other terrorists could be hanging around.
Therefore, the presence of any other person or persons (apart from Kasab & Imran), who could have probably targeted Karkare, is out of question. In fact, all these three officers got killed, even before they could exchange any fire with Kasab & his associate. It happened in so fraction of seconds that even a minute is too large in that matter.
Hence, where is question of some one targeting Karkare ? Why he decided to go into Cama Hospital lane, instead of going to Taj & Trident-Oberoi could have been answered by any of the troika had they been alive today. Perhaps, escaped driver Mr. Jadhav can throw some light on it.
By creating a controversy over the Karkare's killing, Mr. Antulay, who though being a Union Minister has always remained away from the media glare in the last four and half years after UPA government came into power. Politically, he is no heavy weight in the Maharashtra State politics. Seems by creating a flutter, he intends to come back into reckoning and wishes to hog into limelight and enhance his political image.
Mr. Antulay's comments on Karkare's death would be definitely used by Pakistan to lessen the gravity of the entire probe and also to claim that no Pakistani national was involved in the Mumbai carnage.
It is heartening to note that Congress was quick to disassociate itself from Mr. Antulay's remarks and tried to wash off its hands from the controversy, as much as it could. But in the end, Mr. Antulay is nearing eighty, a union cabinet minister. But the responsibility of UPA in general and that of Congress I in particular merely do not end, by distancing itself from the controversy fomented by him.
Though the Opposition parties were after Mr. Antulay's blood over his mischievous remarks and sought his immediate dismissal from the government, it is unlikely that Madam Sonia Gandhi would take any prompt and drastic action against Mr. Antulay, when the Parliamentary polls are just few months away. Ultimately, Mr. Antulay is a member of minority community and Sonia Gandhi would not like to do anything, which could be having political and / or electoral bearing.
However, if Mr. Antulay is finally made to resign, then that would give Pakistan an opportunity to comment, that he was removed from the cabinet only because he spoke the truth. !!
Therefore, the Antulay affair has thrown Congress in 'Catch 22' situation. Barring the Margaret Alva episode, one doesn't recollect Congress party acting swiftly, as a matter of discipline on any issue. It did act in Alva's case, though she did belong to a minority community and once a close associate of Madam Sonia Gandhi.
However, if Mr. Antulay he is sacked from the cabinet, then he would try to pose himself as a martyr.
Therefore, the best way for Congress to get out from the Antulay controversy is to ask him to tender an unconditional apology not only to the country, but to the members of the Karkare's family. But, as the clever man he is, he would ultimately try to say that 'I was misunderstood by all'.
Now he has no opportunity to say that ' I was quoted out of context' as the millions of people watched Mr. Antulay's charges over Karkare's death during the Parliament debate on television.
Mr. Antulay is such a politician, who is always in the news for the wrong reasons. It was he who had once dreamed of becoming India's first 'Minority Prime Minister'. When he was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, some booklets calling him as the 'Messiah of Indian Muslims' were published and distributed in early eighties after he returned from the Middle East trip.
Mr. Antulay has a dubious past and had got a reprieve in Vadkhal Naka incident, when his vehicle allegedly carrying some smuggled goods was intercepted by Customs Department in middle of seventies, when he was a junior minister in Vasantrao Naik ministry. However, he was exonerated for want of sufficient evidence.
After becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1981, he had created a huge kickback controversy, over the 'Indira Gandhi Pratibha Prathisthan Trust', which he had formed without the consent of Madam Indira Gandhi and had started collecting huge donations for this trust in her name.
However, Mrs. Indira Gandhi got the wind of it and after serious exposes by the Indian media in general and by Arun Shourie's then Indian Express, Madam Gandhi (Sr) showed him the door.
The moot question is, will Sonia Gandhi would show same resolve while tackling Mr. Antulay?
It is interesting to note that some of the Muslim organizations too, have decried Antulay over the controversy created by him. If Sonia Gandhi retains him in the cabinet, then it would give the BJP and its allies like Shiv Sena a big boost to lodge a campaign against Congress of 'minority appeasement'. Suffice to say that Antulay affair would test Sonia's mettle!
Seems that the stars of the Congress do not appear to be good, despite the fact that it was prompt enough in introducing two anti-terror law bills in Parliament (on the lines of POTA) in the wake of Mumbai mayhem, which was reluctant to bring any such legislation after it came into power in April, 2004.
Participating in the debate over the two separate bills introduced by the UPA government for the establishment of NIA (National Investigation Agency), Mr. Antulay created a ruckus in Parliament on Wednesday by unwarrantedly raising this issue, without having any slightest proof of it.
In fact, there is no controversy at all, on this point that the troika of Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar all were killed by Kasab and his associate terrorist Imran on the backside entrance of Cama Hospital, which is at a stone throw's distance from CST Railway Station, where the terror duo had mercilessly killed nearly 60 innocent persons few minutes earlier.
It is an entirely separate issue whether Karkare, Kamte & Salaskar ought to have gone through the same vehicle (Toyota Qualis) belonging to a local police station, by giving up or getting down from their own respective vehicles, in pursuit of terrorists on the basis of sketchy information, who had alighted from the foot over bridge close to the Times of India building & Anjuman Islam High School. Or whether Karkare ought to have sent his subordinates in their chase first and that he should have remained as their back up. etc. This is an endless debate and if we go on churning it, the lives of three precious police officers of Maharashtra Police won't be restored.
At that time, the situation was such that there was no time at all to plan out a strategy or to ponder over the ways and means to tackle ultras. It was an unprecedented situation of its kind, which no police officer in any part of the world would have ever experienced. Mr. Karkare arrived at the scene within few minutes, after he got the news of bullet spree started by the due at CST Railway Station after he had dropped into his ATS Office (few Kms. away from CST Railway Stations) after meeting then Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil.
In fact, many were watching live on numerous the television channels of Mr. Karkare getting down from his white TATA Indigo vehicle, putting on his helmet while wearing his blue colour executive shirt. Then putting on the 'so called' bullet proof jacket, which was barely able to withstand incidents of stone throwing, etc.
The terrorists who were unlikely to have the knowledge of the minute details of the lanes and by - lanes on the back side of TOI & Anjuman Islam High School, were also not knowing to whom they were firing at when the vehicle driven by PI Vijay Salaskar came in front of them on the backside of Cama Hospital. Presumably, after seeing the blinking amber light on the top of the vehicle, the Kasab & his deceased colleague, went on firing police vehicle after noticing that it was a police vehicle coming to chase them. The original driver vehicle of Jadhav, who was asked to sit on the back side by the deceased troika was the only man to get escaped from the firing, as he must have presumably ducked, when the bullet sprees were showered on the police vehicle from the front.
After killing the troika, Kasab and his colleague threw out the bodies of the three officers (of Salaskar from the front seat & that of Karkare & Kamte from the back seat). Whereas, the driver Jadhav, who pretended to be dead was also thrown out of the vehicle by them from rear side, before they could hijack the vehicle towards Metro Cinema.
All this happening was being seen by many people from the 5th & 6th floor of Cama Hospital and many claimed to have seen Inspector Vijay Salakar lying in the pool of blood and was desperately requiring medical help. But none could risk their lives to come to his aid, with the fear that they too might face the same fate, if any other terrorists could be hanging around.
Therefore, the presence of any other person or persons (apart from Kasab & Imran), who could have probably targeted Karkare, is out of question. In fact, all these three officers got killed, even before they could exchange any fire with Kasab & his associate. It happened in so fraction of seconds that even a minute is too large in that matter.
Hence, where is question of some one targeting Karkare ? Why he decided to go into Cama Hospital lane, instead of going to Taj & Trident-Oberoi could have been answered by any of the troika had they been alive today. Perhaps, escaped driver Mr. Jadhav can throw some light on it.
By creating a controversy over the Karkare's killing, Mr. Antulay, who though being a Union Minister has always remained away from the media glare in the last four and half years after UPA government came into power. Politically, he is no heavy weight in the Maharashtra State politics. Seems by creating a flutter, he intends to come back into reckoning and wishes to hog into limelight and enhance his political image.
Mr. Antulay's comments on Karkare's death would be definitely used by Pakistan to lessen the gravity of the entire probe and also to claim that no Pakistani national was involved in the Mumbai carnage.
It is heartening to note that Congress was quick to disassociate itself from Mr. Antulay's remarks and tried to wash off its hands from the controversy, as much as it could. But in the end, Mr. Antulay is nearing eighty, a union cabinet minister. But the responsibility of UPA in general and that of Congress I in particular merely do not end, by distancing itself from the controversy fomented by him.
Though the Opposition parties were after Mr. Antulay's blood over his mischievous remarks and sought his immediate dismissal from the government, it is unlikely that Madam Sonia Gandhi would take any prompt and drastic action against Mr. Antulay, when the Parliamentary polls are just few months away. Ultimately, Mr. Antulay is a member of minority community and Sonia Gandhi would not like to do anything, which could be having political and / or electoral bearing.
However, if Mr. Antulay is finally made to resign, then that would give Pakistan an opportunity to comment, that he was removed from the cabinet only because he spoke the truth. !!
Therefore, the Antulay affair has thrown Congress in 'Catch 22' situation. Barring the Margaret Alva episode, one doesn't recollect Congress party acting swiftly, as a matter of discipline on any issue. It did act in Alva's case, though she did belong to a minority community and once a close associate of Madam Sonia Gandhi.
However, if Mr. Antulay he is sacked from the cabinet, then he would try to pose himself as a martyr.
Therefore, the best way for Congress to get out from the Antulay controversy is to ask him to tender an unconditional apology not only to the country, but to the members of the Karkare's family. But, as the clever man he is, he would ultimately try to say that 'I was misunderstood by all'.
Now he has no opportunity to say that ' I was quoted out of context' as the millions of people watched Mr. Antulay's charges over Karkare's death during the Parliament debate on television.
Mr. Antulay is such a politician, who is always in the news for the wrong reasons. It was he who had once dreamed of becoming India's first 'Minority Prime Minister'. When he was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, some booklets calling him as the 'Messiah of Indian Muslims' were published and distributed in early eighties after he returned from the Middle East trip.
Mr. Antulay has a dubious past and had got a reprieve in Vadkhal Naka incident, when his vehicle allegedly carrying some smuggled goods was intercepted by Customs Department in middle of seventies, when he was a junior minister in Vasantrao Naik ministry. However, he was exonerated for want of sufficient evidence.
After becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1981, he had created a huge kickback controversy, over the 'Indira Gandhi Pratibha Prathisthan Trust', which he had formed without the consent of Madam Indira Gandhi and had started collecting huge donations for this trust in her name.
However, Mrs. Indira Gandhi got the wind of it and after serious exposes by the Indian media in general and by Arun Shourie's then Indian Express, Madam Gandhi (Sr) showed him the door.
The moot question is, will Sonia Gandhi would show same resolve while tackling Mr. Antulay?
It is interesting to note that some of the Muslim organizations too, have decried Antulay over the controversy created by him. If Sonia Gandhi retains him in the cabinet, then it would give the BJP and its allies like Shiv Sena a big boost to lodge a campaign against Congress of 'minority appeasement'. Suffice to say that Antulay affair would test Sonia's mettle!
Seems that the stars of the Congress do not appear to be good, despite the fact that it was prompt enough in introducing two anti-terror law bills in Parliament (on the lines of POTA) in the wake of Mumbai mayhem, which was reluctant to bring any such legislation after it came into power in April, 2004.
