|
Current
Affairs
|
News  |
|
Prisoner in Ajmer, Krishna says hes in Pak NEW DELHI: A gaffe by foreign minister S M Krishna left the government red-faced in the Rajya Sabha, leading Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to launch a swift damage-control operation. While replying to a question about steps for the release of Pakistani virologist Dr Mohammad Khalil Chisti, Krishna mixed up his facts, assuming that Chisti is an Indian national lodged in a Pakistani prison. This provoked howls of protest from the opposition. Krishna was responding to JD (U) member Shivananad Tiwaris endorsement of the demand that the wheelchair-bound Chishti, who has been convicted for murder and is serving his sentence in Ajmer, be released on humanitarian grounds. Although Chistis case, including the fact that the Centre has taken up the matter with the Rajasthan government at the Prime Ministers instance, has been widely reported, Krishna said, The question raised is with reference to a particular person who is detained in Pakistan. He further said, It is a question which needs to be considered by government of Pakistan on humanitarian grounds. He is confined to wheelchair and he is 80-plus. These are factors which mitigate. I am sure, the government of Pakistan will take a lenient view about this particular case. We will, certainly, pursue this at the level of high commissioners. The Upper House seemed stunned by the reply before it erupted in protest. CPM`s Brinda Karat along with Prakash Javadekar, Balbir Punj and Rajiv Pratap Rudy were seen angrily protesting against the ministers reply, forcing the Prime Minister to make a rare intervention. Back |
|
Created
by SaasVaap Techies pvt ltd