Congress brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah in the line of fire on the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter issue. (PTI file photo)
Hitting back, Congress today brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah in the line of fire on the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter issue alleging that the "tsunami of misinformation" was being spread to "save their skin" in the case.
"Simple truth is that this web of deceit and deception is being woven by government and certain sections of media to save the skin of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and BJP president, Shri Amit Shah", senior party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Anand Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.
Addressing a joint press conference along with them, party leaders Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi and Shaktisinh Gohil released copy of a four-page statement of a Gujarat police officer DH Goswami before a Magistrate which speaks about "kali dadhi" (black beard) and "safed dadhi" (white beard).
Mr Sibal claimed Mr Goswami had quoted the then senior Gujarat IPS officer DG Vanzara as saying ahead of the encounter that he had already got the "green signal from Black Beard and White Beard". While Mr Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat that time, Mr Shah was the minister of state for home.
They claimed that the "harsh reality" in the backdrop of Mr Goswami's statement is that the "fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three other accomplices was ordered by the then chief minister and present Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the then MoS, Gujarat Amit Shah"
"In case, Ishrat Jahan trial was to proceed, it is inevitable that PM and BJP president would be summoned as an accused", they said in a joint statement.
"Black hearted conspiracy behind lies, half-truth and smoke screen being put up by BJP government to divert attention of Nation in 'Ishrat Jahan case' stands unearthed", they alleged on the eve of the Parliament Session.
Mr Sibal said that this is why the last 3 months has seen a "tsunami of misinformation" and people were asking if Ishrat Jahan was a terrorist or not. He was apparently referring to the BJP's concerted attacks on former home minister P Chidambaram.
The Congress leaders also warned BJP against attacking party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi in the matter, saying it would even force an apology.
While Mr Kharge said that the Congress would work together with like-minded parties, Mr Sharma said that the government would be seen in the "dock" on a host of issues.
They also dismissed BJP's assertion that the Uttarakhand issue should not be raised as it was sub-judice. Mr Kharge indicated that the Congress could be bringing in an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha tomorrow on the Uttarakhand issue.