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The Congress on Wednesday downplayed the war of words between party president Sonia Gandhi and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on the issue of the People's Democratic Party-Congress government in Jammu and Kashmir having taken central clearance for releasing 26 suspected terrorists.
Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said the prisoners were released between November 7 and 14 by the state government. No one was set free after the Union home secretary sent a fax on November 15 telling the state government to go slow on releases.
Urging Advani to practise restraint and not make 'irresponsible' statements, Sharma said, "Though we have enough material to substantiate our claim, we will not act in an irresponsible manner in the interest of peace in Jammu and Kashmir for which there is an imperative need for coordinating the approach between the state and the Centre."
Sharma was reacting to Advani's observations contradicting Gandhi's claim that the release of the 26 suspects followed clearance from central intelligence agencies.
Gandhi, who had flown to Jammu on Monday to meet the victims of Sunday's terrorist attack on the Raghunath temple, rejected the accusations levelled at her party as baseless.
"Of the 26 prisoners set free, 16 were released by the court due to lack of evidence while eight were released on parole. None of these eight were engaged in any direct terrorist activities and so all this hue and cry that terrorists were being released is just a political propaganda which has no basis," Sharma said.
He said a distinction has to be made between terrorists and political dissenters.
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