New Delhi, May 20: BJP today demanded the resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram for the goof-up in India's most wanted list and wondered whether his Ministry was “just a post office” to pass on any list that was provided to it.
“Is Home Ministry just a post-office that it passes on any list given to it to Pakistan without verification?” BJP spokesperon Prakash Javadekar asked.
“The responsibility for this goof-up lies with the Home Minister. Just suspension of an inspector and transfer to two officials are not enough. P Chidambaram should accept responsibility and resign,” he told reporters here.
BJP insisted that the mention of Wazul Kamar Khan, living in Thane near Mumbai and Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, currently in a jail in the country, has resulted in a loss of face for the country at the international fora.
“It is also the worst kind of embarrassment for India vis-a-vis Pakistan. So, Chidambaram accepting responsibility is not sufficient. He has to go,” Javadekar said. The main opposition maintained that this was not the first time that the Home Ministry under Chidambaram had made such a mistake.
“Even while sending the DNA reports of the 26/11 attackers it was revealed later that two DNA reports were of the same terrorist. Pakistan took full advantage of that goof up and put our dossiers into the dustbin,” Javadekar said. He alleged that lack of coordination between security agencies to share vital information still continues.
“These lapses cost nation dearly and affects our efforts to expose Pakistan for continuously supporting the terror network and infrastructure,” Javadekar said. He insisted that Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden being found in Pakistan has proved that it is the “capital of terrorism”.
“The buck stops at the door of the Home Minister. His earlier defence is that he had not prepared the list is the case of total abdication of his responsibility as Home Minister,” he said.
In Kanpur, Union minister Farooq Abdullah today said the “goof-up” in India's most wanted list handed over to Pakistan has been a shameful incident and sought a probe to find out who was behind the mistake.
“A proper inquiry should be held to ascertain who is responsible for the mistake and at what level the goof-up took place,” the National Conference chief said at a press conference here.
The agencies and state governments which have prepared the list should be held responsible for the discrepancies, he said.
He, however, said, “This will not affect our fight against terrorism and we will continue to effectively face the challenge.” PTI
