New Delhi:
The opposition has slammed External Affairs minister SM Krishna for attacking Home Secretary GK Pillai, and the governmnet is now finding it hard to explain the apparent spat between two of its ministries - External Affairs and Home.
In an interview to NDTV on Wednesday, SM Krishna said Pillai's comments on 26/11 accused David Headley, may have been factual, but they were poorly timed. Krishna said, " The Home Secretary spoke the truth. The Home Secretary did convey whatever Headley had confessed, whatever Headley had told our interrogators, when a team of them went to US. I have absolutely no problem with that. I can live with that. But the only question is the timing."
(Read: Home Secretary Pillai's remarks were true, but ill-timed: Krishna)On the eve of the Indo-Pak talks, Pillai said that the interrogation of David Coleman Headley, who helped plan 26/11, revealed that Pakistan's ISI was involved "from beginning to end" with the attack against Mumbai.
The BJP says it it seems that the government is divided at the top level over two critical issues - Pakistan and David Headley's revelations in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case. "SM Krishna has publicly insulted the Home Secretary, inspite of the fact that Qureshi had insulted him in Pakistan. The Home Ministry and Ministy of External Affairs are not on the same page. We want to know what is the policy of Government of India on the issue of security. Krishna's statement has affected the image of the country."
The Congress was quick to distance itself from the controversy, saying, " its for the government to comment."
The External Affairs minister has indicated that while what Headley divulged to out investigators on 26/11 may have been shared selectively, he says there is no contradiction between his ministry and the Home ministry. " Well, whatever Headley has conveyed to our interrogators, I think it is classified information and I wouldn't like to divulge what transpired. But the earlier part of your question that is there understanding between various departments government, between various ministries of government of India, let me reassure you that there is total understanding between the Home Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs. We had a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) before I left for Pakistan."
(Watch: SM Krishna on talks with Pakistan, Pillai controversy) Sources have told NDTV that Pillai's comments weren't the only reason for the talks faltering at Islamabad. Details have emerged that in the extended talks, which lasted over 6 hours, Pakistan demanded a time frame to resolve Siachen and the Sir Creek disputes, amongst other demands. And this went against New Delhi's step-by-step approach.