PARLIAMENT on Monday was divided over the demand made by Union Minister for Minority Affairs A R Antulay on the killing of Mahatashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare.

While a sizeable number of MPs from the Congress questioned the timing of Antulay’s statement, a number of MPs from other parties, including the BJP’s ally, the JD (U), and others like the RJD and the BSP backed the Congress leader. With the BJP and the Shiv Sena were seen gunning for his head, the Left said that Antulay should have taken up the matter in the Union Cabinet.

Antulay had demanded to know on “whose direction did Karkare and two other police officers go towards the Cama Hospital”, when Mumbai was hit by terror attacks on November 26.

Samajwadi Party MP Janeshwar Mishra said, “It would have been better if Antulay had avoided the statement in the present circumstances.”

Congress MP from Murshidabad Abdul Mannan Hossain added, “Karkare died to a terrorist’s bullet. When the world opinion is united against terror, it’s not appropriate to raise this kind of demand at this time.”

However, Congress MP from East Delhi, Sandeep Dikshit, countered this, “If he had raised the issue, say, one year down the line, questions would have been raised about the timing even then. Like the US instituted a full-scale inquiry after the attack on the WTC towers, there should be a comprehensive inquiry, covering all aspects, here as well,” he said.

While Congress MPs G Nizamuddin, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhary, and Anwar Hussain said that Karkare fell to terrorists’ bullets and this wasn’t an appropriate time to raise questions on it, party MPs Furkan Ansari and Aaron Rashid J M agreed with Antulay’s observations.

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