BJP slams Ahmed for comments on Advani

Sun, May 18 12:45 AM

Coming down heavily on Minister of State for Home Shakeel Ahmed for his adverse comments about BJP leader L.K. Advani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, the BJP on Saturday demanded Ahmed's immediate ouster from the Union Ministry and an apology from the Congress. Ahmed is reported to have said that those attempting to take political advantage of the terror attacks in Jaipur should also be condemned just like terrorists.

"His statement is irresponsible, shameful, lacking in political grace and thoroughly condemnable," senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said. "How can he equate Advani and Raje with terrorists?" Prasad said that Ahmed ought to have realised that he was commenting about a former deputy prime minister and a sitting chief minister.

According to Prasad, Advani and Raje spoke about the need to strengthen the security apparatus and intelligence network as measures to tackle terrorism. "The national security advisor himself admitted to weaknesses in the intelligence gathering mechanism.

Where was the need for Ahmed to attack the two?" Prasad said. Pointing out that Ahmed is the AICC spokesperson and minister of state in the Home Ministry, Prasad said"his statement was unbecoming of the office he holds".

No Spat Over Blast: Patil Home Minister Shivraj Patil said nobody should make any statement that could affect the handling of the situation arising out of the Jaipur blasts. "No statement which can create misunderstanding between the agencies and governments should be made by those who are involved in doing their duties," the minister said, in an apparent response to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's statements against the Centre, followed by a barrage of attacks unleashed by the BJP on the UPA government.

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