New Delhi, Nov 26: Controversy over the release of detenues in J&K intensified today with Congress sticking to its stand that they were released after getting clearance from central agencies and accused Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani of "misleading the country with a mischievous intent" keeping an eye on Gujarat elections. "Advani did not tell the whole truth either to Parliament or to people when he said that government had not given any clearance for the release of detenues in Jammu and Kashmir. We would like to make it clear that senior officers including the joint director of IB K B Singh were consulted", party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy told reporters. He claimed that the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had a meeting with Singh, who deals exclusively with Kashmir, on November seven.
Asked specifically whether the party would move a privilege motion against Advani in the Lok Sabha, he said the party would first examine whether a case of breach of privilege is made out and it could not say anything without arriving at a "well considered conclusion".


Reddy made it clear that none of those released was "implicated in overt terrorist activities and everyone of them was arrested by Farooq Abdullah government and released. Yasin Malik was arrested six times and released".
He said the party was now compelled to come out with the name of the central agency and its official from whom it got clearance as it was forced by deputy prime minister's repeated statements that congress leaders were lying on the release of detenues in the state.

Bureau Report