Hypothetically...are you keeping your options open?(Laughs) United Front will form the government.
What will be the AGP's role in the event of a Congress-led coalition or if the Congress is a part of the government?
It will be difficult for the AGP.
Who do you see as the Prime Minister if the United Front manages to form the government again? Gujral?
That will be for the elected MPs to decide.
Will Sonia's participation make any difference for the Congress?
Not in Assam. Local issues are going to dominate, not Sonia Gandhi. This is the weakness of the Congress that to save their party from extinction, they have to bank on her.
Coming to the problems of the North-East. The biggest problem is that of insurgency and the biggest case so far has been that of Tata allegedly funding the militants. Yet there seems to be no progress in the case. Isn't thestate government going soft on the probe?
No, the government is not going soft. The inquiry is on.
But the investigations don't seem to be reaching anywhere. Your entire argument in the Supreme Court had been that the arrest of the officials is necessary as custodial interrogation is a must for the investigation. Yet even after the apex court cleared the decks for their arrest, they have not been arrested so far.
Their interrogation has been done.
When was the last interrogation?
I forget.
Approximately...?
After the Supreme Court order.
But why no arrests?
No, it should be foolproof. You may arrest anybody any time but to establish the case you must collect more evidence for which the interrogation and inquiry are going on.
So why emphasise on custodial interrogation then?
The Supreme Court did not allow it.
That isn't exactly the case...
(Keeps quiet)
Some of your critics say that theGovernor brokered a truce between you and the Tatas.
This is a baseless allegation. It's not correct. The Governor has never discussed the Tata funding case with me. Tapes is a different thing. Anybody may approach anybody. Ratan Tata met me here in Delhi where he expressed his ignorance about the incident and said that action will be taken against anybody who was involved.
But isn't funding of militant groups a reflection on the inability of the State Government to maintain law and order?
All this funding began during the Congress rule. The records prove it. We are the ones who highlighted it and tried to stop it.
Why the delay in the extradition of ULFA leader Anoop Chetia (from Bangladesh)?
There's a lacuna in the extradition treaty. We have asked the Central government to expedite it. I have personally written to the Prime Minister. It's difficult to say when he will be extradited.
What brings you to Delhi?
I came here to discuss with the CEC thepossibility of holding elections in Assam in two phases because of inadequate security forces. We want 609 companies as there are about 5,500 sensitive polling booths. But the Centre has expressed its inability to provide 609 companies and then we suggested holding the elections in two phases.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
