•Shekhar Gupta: So when you said you got the feeling that look this is something that will go on, that where is the end to it? Did the Prime Minister share that view? That anger?

Pranab Mukherjee: No. Prime Minister has his own perception and he is more disturbed than me coz he genuinely wanted to build up good relations with Pakistan and he invested much more political capital than anybody else.

•Shekhar Gupta: right. And this was a heartbreaker.

Pranab Mukherjee: This is definitely a heart breaker.

•Shekhar Gupta: Where you angry with Pakistan those three days?

Pranab Mukherjee: No …we are getting some information…we have doubt…but ultimately the pool of information came later..

•Shekhar Gupta: Later on…so first four days it seems Pakistan responded reasonably well…President Zardari made those statements and things started to change…

Pranab Mukherjee: Exactly…

•Shekhar Gupta: What happened?

Pranab Mukherjee: That I do not know. Maybe…anybody's guess... I can not allow myself to indulge in guess…holding a constitutional office…but the fact of the matter is that there was an attempt to divert the issue…Even the talk telephonic conversation which we had with Mr. Qureshi. Of course I did not take any risk… I spoke to him over the telephone from the written text. Every word was recorded in my telephone. PM talked to their PM, their President. There after it appeared to be correct. But I am unable to understand, what really puzzles me…is that hoax call???how is it possible that the foreign Minister of a country will directly ring the President of another country...and particularly to a person..I have met only once Mr. Asif Zardari in my life till now…and that is when I went to Pakistan after their govt came and that time he was a leader. He was not even President. I met Prime Minister, the then President Musharaff..i met Mr.Qureshi my counterpart…and I had a courtesy call to pay homage to Benazir Bhutto..and I went to his...I think it may be house or his party office…and had a little discussion..

... contd.