Azamgarh:
While campaigning in Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, Law Minister Salman Khurshid said that Sonia Gandhi cried when she was shown photographs of the Batla House encounter in Delhi.
That was last evening. A few hours and a political controversy later, Mr Khurshid said that he had been misquoted. He had said Mrs Gandhi became emotional and not that she broke down, he alleged.
On video, Mr Khurshid can be seen and heard saying, Sonia Gandhi ji ko us haadse ki humne tasveerein dikhayi to unke aasun phoot pade (she cried when she saw the photos). Today, he said that she was moved by the pictures and remarked, "Don't show them to me, speak to the Prime Minister. Take necessary action."
Another clarification from senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who is in charge of UP. "Soniaji never cried. These are Salman Khurshid's words," he said.
Azamgarh votes tomorrow, in the second phase of UP's election. 18 per cent of its population is Muslim and the area has traditionally voted for the Samajwadi Party. The Batla House encounter is an emotive issue here - in September 2008, the Delhi Police stormed the area known as Batla House after it allegedly received information that a group of terrorists from the Indian Mujahideen were hiding here. A huge shootout followed in this part of Jamia Nagar - two young men, both from Azamgarh, were killed; two were arrested and one escaped. Delhi police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma was also shot dead. Cops raided Azamgarh in the weeks after, provoking local resentment. Human rights groups have demanded a judicial inquiry.
Digvijaya Singh has questioned the authenticity of the Batla House encounter. In January, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi faced protests outside the Shibli College in Azamgarh by workers of the Ulema council - a newly formed Muslim party.
Angry with Digvijaya Singh for giving them false hope of a judicial probe in the Batla House encounter they shouted anti-Rahul Gandhi slogans and burnt his effigy for not fulfilling a promise that Digvijaya Singh gave to the families of the boys who were picked up as Indian Mujahideen suspects.