As I was complimenting Congress leaders (like Chidambaram) for their intellectual capacity in my previous articles, they were working overtime to prove me wrong. And, they were fighting on the basis of the Indian Express’ report on inquiry by BK Prasad of Ishrat Jahan missing files.
To cut it short, let’s see what happened in actual, as reported by IE. Reproduction:
Quote.
Between March 1, 2011 and December 23, 2011, Kumar was Director in the Internal Security division of the Home Ministry that dealt with the Ishrat Jahan case.
BK Prasad told Kumar that his probe into the Ishrat Jahan missing papers required him to pose a question to all officers who may have dealt with the matter: “Aapne ye paper dekha? (Have you seen that paper?)”
Prasad then told the officer: “Aapko kehna hai ki ‘Maine ye paper nahi dekha.’ Seedhi si baat hai (You have to say, ‘I have not seen that paper.’ It’s as simple as that).”
Prasad told Kumar that the consequences of giving a different reply would be that doubts would be raised about the officer having played a role in the disappearance of the papers.
“Aapko itna toh kehna hoga ki ya toh woh file hi maine kabhi zindagi mein deal nahi kiya, kabhi file ko dekhne ka kabhi mauka hi nahi mila (You will have to, at least, say that either you have never dealt with that file in your life, or have never had a chance to see it)… I don’t think you have seen that file at any point… Bas, that is what I want from you: ‘I have not seen that file at all’,” Prasad told the officer.
Prasad also told the officer: “And another question will be, ‘Did anybody give you these documents to be kept separately with you?’ Aap bologe, ‘Nahi, mere ko kisi ne nahi diya.’ (You will say, ‘No, nobody gave them to me’).”
When contacted, Kumar confirmed that Prasad had called him as part of the inquiry but declined to give any details.
Unquote.
As expected the inquiry officer BK Prasad trashed the report claiming none of the officers whom he questioned replied they have not seen the files – in writing.
Now, coming to the issue at hand, it is everybody’s knowledge that it is in the interest of BJP, read Amit Shah and Narendra Modi to nail Chidambaram and officers who helped him in the vanishing act. In such case, if the inquiry officer was working for BJP, he should be asking other officers and got replies that they have seen the files. Only then he can establish that the files went missing, for files that didn’t exist cannot vanish.
But, considering the IE report true, BK Prasad however, had asked the other way. He was trying to establish that these files were not there! Whom such a scenario would help?
No prizes for guessing – for it is only the darling of middle classes, Chidambaram that would be helped if the inquiry fails.
And what more?
The report filed by BK Prasad didn’t name Chidambaram or recommended any punitive action against any of the officials! The report states that ‘the papers were removed knowingly or unknowingly or misplaced’. Only the tenure of missing was fixed to September 2009, when Chidambaram was home minister. Apart from fixing the tenure, the report of BK Prasad didn’t raise any doubts/questions regarding Chidambaram. Too much for an inquiry guided by the ruling party!
One will conclude, if read the entire Indian Express report in entirety that BK Prasad might be working for Chidambaram, against the current ruling party.
Still, all noises that were made in the immediate aftermath of the report published by IE were indicting the BJP for such an inquiry, wherein the inquirer was found tutoring witnesses/accomplices.
Perhaps it is the image of Indian Express that it is an anti-establishment or anti-government that forced everyone to raise hue and cry against the ruling party. Chidambaram, the man with a quick wit immediately discredited the probe that absolved him from everything! Not the ones to be left behind other Congress leaders gathered at the nearest well they could found (as the parliament is not functioning now) and started shouting against Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and their vindictive vendetta (another Italian term), against Congress in general and Chidambaram, in particular.
The opposition wanted a Supreme Court intervention, as the probe into the missing files of Ishrat Jahan case is fixed. I think the Modi, Shah duo would only be too happy to accept their demand.