New Delhi: Ex-Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh escorting the three released terrorists to end the Kandahar hijack crisis has been a subject of an endless debate but the chief negotiator feels the action was not a "good decision" from the security point of view.
Ajit Kumar Doval, who was constantly talking to the hijackers for nearly 110 hours since the Indian Airlines plane hijack crisis unfolded on Christmas eve ten years back, said a
clear message had gone from the ground that no one from the Indian government should accompany the three terrorists who were to be handed over to the hijackers.
While there have been claims and counter-claims made within the rank and file of BJP over this issue, Doval recalls he was gripped with anxiety upon seeing Singh alighting from the aircraft along with three terrorists -- Maulana Masood Azhar, Sheikh Omar and Mushtaq Zargar.
64-year-old Doval, who rose to become the Intelligence Bureau Chief and has the distinction of being the first IPS officer awarded with second highest military award – Kirti Chakra, also recalled an instance when hijackers became stubborn to take out their bags from hold. "A mild resistance from our side resulted in heightening of tempers.
"...I was more worried for the foreign minister`s presence may give them more ideas," Doval told a news agency.
To a pointed question as to what was his message to Delhi, Doval recalled "my personal view was that no one should come. No aircraft should come, nothing should come. These
people (the three terrorists) should come alone. Its a very dangerous thing and we are in a dangerous situation...". Doval, however, refrained from getting into the details of why
Singh decided to come to Kandahar and said "from security
point of view it was not a good decision."
Jaswant Singh, on the other hand, had side-stepped the question about his presence in Kandahar in his book "Call to Honour" and only focussed on going to Kandahar to end the crisis and bring back the passengers.
While Singh was holding talks with then Taliban foreign minister Wakil Ahmed Muttavakil, Doval ensured that all the passengers were safely transferred to the relief aircraft.
"The whole system at Kandahar was chaotic, on top of which there was the hijacked plane, the hostages, the relief aircraft and now the one on which I was. I wanted the hostages to leave. And I wanted to meet all of them again -- after they had boarded the relief aircraft," Jaswant Singh had said in his book released in 2006.
However, Doval, who earned kudos with his dare-devil approach during Mizoram unification and Operation Black Thunder in Golden temple in 1988, says the foreign minister`s presence was quite uncomfortable.
"The hijackers after receiving the three terrorists insisted on opening the hold of ill-fated aircraft. That became the most ticklish time for me. That was the only time when I got perturbed as now we had the foreign minister too present.
"...My only point that it was a difficult situation. Hostages had been brought out of the aircraft and all were lined on the tarmac to board the relief aircraft and the hijackers wanted to open the hold and we were also running out of time. What was worrying us what if the hijackers changed their mind...Taliban were with them, ISI was backing and on top 160 hostages, three negotiators and India`s foreign Minister," Doval said recalling the tense times.
PTI
