Surprising That Congress Expects PM Modi to Apologise: Jaitley

Arun Jaitley termed the meeting between Congress party leaders and Pakistani delegation a “political misadventure”.

File photo of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

(Photo: PTI)

Virtually ruling out an apology by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 11 December charged former prime minister Manmohan Singh with defying the national line by meeting Pakistani diplomats, and demanded to know the context, relevance, and necessity of such a meet.

Terming the meeting a "political misadventure", Jaitley wanted Singh and the Congress to explain the context of attending the dinner hosted by suspended party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for Pakistani diplomats.

It is surprising that Congress party expects the Prime Minister of India to apologise for raising an issue about a meeting, which they had initially denied.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

He said the main Opposition party is expected to follow national policy, which states that terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand. Jaitley said that if anyone defies the national line, they should be prepared to answer questions.

Is (the) main opposition party not part of the State? It is a political misadventure, it has a political cost.

Jaitley addressed a press conference hours after Singh asked the Prime Minister to apologise to the nation for setting a "dangerous precedent".

He wanted the former prime minister to explain what transpired at the meeting and went on to defend his government's track record of fighting terror, saying no government in the past has had a track record to equal this government in fighting terrorism.

In response to Singh's demand for apology, Jaitley further said that people who have violated the national policy of talks and terror not going hand-in-hand, should apologise.

(With inputs from PTI)

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