No heads will roll for bungle

No heads will roll for bungle
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JAN 4: Despite mounting public criticism of the manner in which various Government agencies blundered through the hijacking crisis, the Vajpayee Government is not inclined to bring anyone to book.

In fact, indications are that another whitewash is on the cards, with senior official sources denying all charges of bungling. The sources countered speculation of changes in the top echelons of the bureaucracy by saying that there was no reason to axe anyone as no blunders were committed at any stage. Justifying the perception, the sources pointed to the United States and claimed that the bureaucracy in that country had never been held accountable after an act of terrorism.

The sources said there was no need for an inquiry as the Government was well aware of what had happened and how. The Prime Minister has been given a minute-by-minute account of the entire episode and nothing pointed to avoidable lapses.

``Where were the lapses? Could we have stormed the plane at Amritsar and risked losing thelives of innocent passengers?'' the sources asked. They blamed the failure to stall the plane in Dubai on the UAE Government's refusal to allow the Indian mission there access to the aircraft. They said the mission made several requests to the UAE government, but they were fobbed off with all kinds of excuses.

The sources also sought to waive away the reason for the delay in starting talks with the hijackers after the plane landed in Kandahar, saying that the Government wanted to establish the Taliban's credentials first and get a feel of its attitude. Clearly, the Government hopes to ride the storm of criticism by playing the Pakistan card.