Sending National Security Guard to Pathankot was serious lapse: Digvijay Singh

Congress leader Digvijay Singh

Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday said sending National Security Guard (NSG) commandos to Pathankot Air Force base was a serious lapse and questioned the role of NSA Ajit Doval in the decision even as he denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent Lahore visit, saying it was unbecoming of a Prime Minister.

It was a serious lapse to deploy National Security Guards in the counter operation, Singh told reporters in Hyderabad.

"The role of Ajit Doval, the NSA, has been questioned too. When there was an Army unit close by, they could have easily taken on the terrorists. The National Security Adviser chose to send NSG which is not trained to handle such situations. This is another serious lapse on the part of the government.

"Unfortunately, the Prime Minster has given a clean chit to Ajit Doval while most of the army people have questioned the decision to send NSG and not hand over the operation to the Indian Army," he said.

Replying to a query, Singh claimed that Doval could not fulfil his role properly in the Pathankot attack issue.

Saying that Congress is always in favour of improving relations with Pakistan, he maintained that the approach adopted by the Centre is not correct.

"Narendra Modi, who used to speak in the most derogatory language against Pakistan, went to Pakistan in a very informal manner which I suppose unbecoming of an Indian Prime Minister. The result was two days later, an attack on our Air Force Station in Pathankot," he said.

Raising doubts on the behavior of former Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh in the Pathankot attack, the Congress leader demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conduct a thorough probe into the whole issue.

"It is also very important to note the behavior of the SP Salwinder Singh in the incident. What was he doing at midnight with a jeweler and his cook without the security?

"Information is now coming in that there was an intelligence warning of infiltration of some of the terrorists in that border and this information is there with the Punjab Police. But the Punjab Police did not act the way it should have."

"The National Investigation Agency is investigating the incident and the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab is opposing the investigation by the national agencies. It is an open secret that the Punjab Police and the politicians of a particular party are totally involved in drug trafficking in Punjab from across the border," he said.

Recalling that the heads of senior leaders of UPA had rolled after the 26/11 attacks, he maintained that BJP has not taken action against anyone in the aftermath of Pathankot terror attack.

Asked if Congress is ready to join hands with PDP to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said the matter is to be decided by the party high command.

Referring to a media report that India's most wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim had attended an event related to the wedding of Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif's grand-daughter in Lahore, Singh said the Centre should seek a clarification from Pakistan if the report is true.

Reiterating the allegations he made against Nitin Gadkari in the IRB case, the AICC general secretary said the Union Minister "has only said he has followed procedure. He has not denied his association with Mhaiskars".

Singh, who was in Hyderabad to canvas for Congress for February 2 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, alleged that the TRS government in Telangana has not fulfiled its election promises.

TRS used abusive language against the people of Seemandhra during separate statehood agitation but is trying to woo them now, he said.

"Narendra Modi and KCR (Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) are experts in U-turns," he alleged.

Rao had personally committed to stand by Congress when he met party president Sonia Gandhi after the passage of Telangana Bill in Parliament, Singh claimed.

"KCR, who had gone with his whole family to convey his gratefulness to Sonia Gandhi, had personally committed to her that he will stand by Congress and he also suggested the merger of TRS and Congress. I was not there in that meeting. But the next day, I was there in the meeting when KCR and KTR (Rao's son KT Rama Rao) met Rahul Gandhi.

"There also, KCR had categorically conveyed his commitment to Congress, to Rahul Gandhi in front of me...," Digvijay claimed.