Antulay sent his Resignation to the Prime Minister
79-year-old Antulay, whose remarks created an uproar in Parliament and outside with the opposition parties demanding his removal, had sent his resignation on Wednesday night, they said.
When contacted, Antulay declined to comment, saying "I am neither confirming it nor denying it".
Earlier on Wednesday, Antulay set off a major political row by demanding a probe into the shooting of Karkare in the 26/11 terror strikes which he linked to investigations into the alleged involvement of Hindu radicals in the Malegaon blast case.
Stating that the circumstances of Karkare's shooting "may be inquired into",
Antulay seemed to have borrowed a leaf from Pakistani TV hosts who have claimed that the Mumbai attacks were the handiwork of "Hindu-Zionists". Antulay told the media outside Parliament's gate number 12 that "there must have been some reason why Karkare went to Cama hospital instead of Taj and Oberoi hotels."
Antulay said "someone" could have told Karkare and other officers with him to go to Cama hospital, suggesting that the ATS chief fell victim to a set-up as he was probing cases which involved Hindu radicals in the Malegaon case. The comments were immediately televised and triggered an uproar in Lok Sabha where BJP and Shiv Sena MPs vehemently criticised the minister who insisted that directions issued to the officer must be probed.
A red-faced Congress swiftly dissociated itself from the minister with party spokesperson Abhisekh Singhvi saying, "We don't accept the inference and the innuendo that underline the statement (of Antulay)...we don't agree with bringing this case (Karkare's killing) under a cloud."
But Antulay was unfazed, virtually daring the Congress to sack him and offering to "explain" the geography of south Mumbai to his party.
He got support from the RJD with party leader Devendra Yadav also expressing suspicion of involvement of Hindu radicals in Karkare's killing. As his boss Lalu Prasad looked on approvingly, he said, "Two days before Karkare was killed, who had given a call for Maharashtra bandh?"
Reacting to the controversy, BJP condemned Antulay's statement and said the minister was as good as playing ISI's attorney and demanded his sacking.
19 Dec 2008, PTI
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