Enough evidence to damn Pak: Vajpayee

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, JAN. 4. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said that India had enough damning evidence to establish Pakistan's involvement in the recent hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft.

But the Prime Minister, who was speaking to newspersons at an Iftaar party hosted by him, added, ``we will disclose it at an appropriate time.``

Mr. Vajpayee also insisted that India would try to get the hijackers back in order to make them stand trial here. In addition, India was in touch with Nepal about the possible security lapses at the Kathmandu airport.

That was all the newspersons could get out of Mr. Vajpayee before the SPG personnel moved in.

The palatial Hyderabad House provides the perfect setting for a Prime Minister to host an ``Iftaar'' party. On this chilly wintry evening Mr. Vajpayee's caterers had very thoughtfully provided protection against the elements. And besides kebabs and biryani, explanations and denials were aplenty.

The action then shifted to Mr. L. K. Advani's corner, and the Union Home Minister had a lot to deny and quite a bit of information to provide.

To begin with, Mr. Advani denied reports in a section of the media that he was furious with the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, and the National Security Adviser, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, for agreeing to release three militants in exchange for the Indian Airlines passengers and crew. He had checked with Mr. Mishra about the veracity of the reports. He also explained that he had ``disappeared'' for two days because that was what he did at the beginning of every new year and not because he was ``sulking''.

Mr. Advani said that along with the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, he was invited by the Prime Minister this morning to join him in getting a detailed briefing on the negotiations with the hijackers. The briefing by Mr. Jaswant Singh and other officials lasted for over two hours.

Mr. Advani said this was the first time the Prime Minister was given full details of the negotiations. The Home Minister also pooh-poohed all talk of any deliberate design to keep Mr. Fernandes out of the crisis management process. Nothing should be read in Mr. Fernandes' decision to return to the capital from the north-east three days after the hijacking crisis erupted.

Then, Mr. Advani allowed himself to be provoked into saying that the so-called NSG option at Amritsar was no option. The final deal was the best deal under the circumstances. All that he would concede was that whereas the country's interests did not suffer, the BJP's political image indeed got dented in the manner in which the hijack was handled.

From Mr. Advani down to the functionaries of the Prime Minister's Office, the mood was not exactly chirpy. The false note in the exaggerated effusive New Year greetings was easily discernible.

Besides Mr. Advani, quite a few of Mr. Vajpayee's colleagues put in an appearance. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi was there, as was Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan. The Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Prabhat Kumar, was around as was Mr. Brajesh Mishra. The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, came late, but the Attorney- General, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, was in time to do full justice to the excellent delicacies. There were familiar BJP faces such as Mr. K. R. Malkani and Mr. Madan Lal Khuranna.

And, Mr. Narendrabhai Modi was also there, looking mighty pleased that he fortuitously got a chance to move the main political resolution (which was to be moved by Mr. Advani but who got held up in New Delhi because of the hijack drama) at the BJP's National Council meeting last week in Chennai.

And, not to be overlooked, the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, too had responded to the Prime Minister's invitation. She went around, with hordes of cameramen in tow, greeting guests as if she was the host.

Oh, yes, in case you got the wrong idea, there was indeed a representative sprinkling of the members from the minority community. Rites of secularism remain unchanged, even if the colours of regimes change.

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