Union home minister denies prior knowledge of Tata Teas links with Ulfa
Only former IB additional director Rattan Sehgal was informed about the links and he did not inform others. The home ministry was not informed at all. Indrajit Gupta, Union home minister
Adding a new twist to the tug-of-war between the Tata Tea Ltd and the Assam government, Union home minister Indrajit Gupta has said that neither his ministry nor the Intelligence Bureau (IB) knew about the links between the tea major and the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa).
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In an interview with Business Standard, Gupta said the companys claim that it had kept the IB informed was not true.
Only one person, former IB additional director Rattan Sehgal, was informed about the links and he did not inform others in the IB. The home ministry was not informed at all, the home minister said.
While Tata Tea officials claim the IB was informed about whatever links they had with the Ulfa, Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has said that even if the IB was aware of the interaction, the state government was not informed.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have demanded that the Centre explain whether the IB had prior information of the pay-offs. On the Congress demand that the Jain Commission report be tabled during the winter session of Parliament, Gupta said it would definitely be made public but only after scrutiny.
We have six months. It has to be properly scrutinised. Ultimately it will have to be made public. But there is no point speculating on the content of the report without knowing it, he said.
On the BJPs demand to recall Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari, Gupta said the matter would be considered. He also said the Governor seemed confused on reading the situation arising out of the Bahujan Samaj Partys withdrawal of support to the Kalyan Singh government.
Gupta defended the Centres decision to allow the BJP government two days to prove majority. He said this was in accordance with the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on the Centre-state relations and the Inter-State Council.