Wikileaks: Cong tried religion card for poll gains: Mulford

Ex-Envoy Heaps Scorn On ‘Crass Opportunism’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

New Delhi: Former US ambassador David Mulford made a bleak assessment of the Congress’s “crass political opportunism” and its preparedness to “stoop to old caste/religious-based” politics after 26/11, saying, according to US cables published by Wikileaks, the party fanned the view that Hindutva forces were behind the attack. 

In a December 20, 2008 cable, Mulford referred to former minorities affair minister A R Antulay’s controversial suggestion that the death of Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare could be linked to his investigation of radical Hindu groups. 

After initially distancing itself from the claim, Mulford said, the Congress had chosen to play along. “The Congress party, after first distancing itself from the comments, two days later issued a contradictory statement, which implicitly endorsed the conspiracy,” said the cable. While noting that cooler heads ultimately prevailed, he added that some Congress leaders were tempted to play identity politics. 

While Mulford’s views of the Congress succumbing to votebank calculations is highly unflattering, he seems to have misread the situation as Antulay had been hauled up immediately after his remarks and had to swiftly clarify. The Congress had sensed the possibility of a backlash ahead of the general elections, which were just three months away. 

Reacting to the reports, the Congress said the matter was a communication between an ambassador and his government and would have to be verified. “The ambassador sends a secret report...somebody claims to have found out. Nobody has authenticated that. For any party to say something on this will not be responsible,” said Janardhan Dwivedi, AICC media in-charge. 

‘Congress chose to pander Muslims’ fears’ 

New Delhi: The Congress chose to play dumb about the Wikileaks revelation of former US envoy David Mulford’s cables on how the party tried to fan the view that Hindu radicals were behind 26/11, saying the “secret communication” wasn’t authenticated. But it might have squirmed a bit at Mulford’s view that former minority affairs minister A R Antulay’s comments had fed the belief of those in the Indian Muslim community, who “believe they are unfairly targetted by law enforcement and that those who investigate the truth are silenced”. 

Mulford notes that Congress “...made the cynical political calculation to lend credence to the conspiracy even after its recent emboldening state election victories. The party chose to pander to Muslims' fears, providing impetus for those in the Muslim community who will continue to play up the conspiracy theory.” TNN 12 Dec 2010