What ties bind Afzal and Jethmalani? Cong asks Gadkari

In a tit-for-tat,Congress also asked the BJP to explain its relationship with the killers of Rajiv Gandhi.

Hitting out at BJP chief Nitin Gadkari,the Congress on Monday asked him to specify his relationship with party MP Ram Jethmalani who had defended Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

“Jethmalani who had defended Afzal Guru became a BJP MP thanks to Nitin Gadkari. I will ask him to spell out his relationship with the veteran jurist,” AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters here.

On Gadkari’s refusal to apologise for his remarks that Afzal Guru was like a son-in-law for the Congress,he said he did not want to give any importance to someone making such “non-serious” comments.

Story continues below this ad

Defending his remarks,Gadkari said in Kolkata yesterday that there was no question of his tendering an apology over the issue.

Singh,in-charge of Congress affairs in Uttar Pradesh,also asked the BJP to explain its ties with the killers of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

“Advani was at the helm for six years but he did not hang the killers of Rajiv Gandhi. Will the party explain its relationship with them?” he asked.

To a question,Digvijay Singh said talks were on with Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh.

Story continues below this ad

“We have been holding talks with Ajit Singh” but nothing concrete had emerged yet,he said when asked about the outcome of the parleys.

On the death of a boy in Kanpur due to security curbs imposed during the Prime Minister’s visit,Singh said “I am not the right person to comment on this.”

He said party’s organisational polls were being held and the process would be completed by mid-August.