Govt takes on Manmohan after he tears into Modi in rare row

New Delhi : The Government today took on former premier Manmohan Singh over his meeting with Pakistani diplomats by questioning its context shortly after he demanded an apology from his successor Narendra Modi for insinuating that he colluded with Islamabad in the Gujarat polls.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley ruled out an apology from the prime minister and accused Singh of defying the national line and demanded to know the context, relevance and necessity of attending a dinner hosted by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for a visiting Pakistani dignitary at his home here last week that was attended by Pakistani diplomats among others.

Jaitley's remarks came after a rare row between a sitting and a former premier broke out with Manmohan Singh accusing his successor of setting a "dangerous precedent" and asking his apology.Terming the meeting as "political misadventure", Jaitley wanted Singh and Congress party to explain the context of attending the dinner.Jaitley addressed a press conference hours after Singh asked the prime minister to apologise to the nation for setting a "dangerous precedent".

In reponse to Singh's demand for apology, Jaitley said people who have violated national policy of talks and terror not going hand in hand should apologise.Addressing an election rally in Palanpur in Gujarat yesterday, Modi sought to suggest that Pakistan was trying to influence the assembly polls in the state. The second and final phase of Assembly polls in Gujarat is to be held on December 14.Modi claimed that some Pakistani officials and Manmohan Singh met at Aiyar's house over dinner on December 6.

This was a day before Aiyar's "neech" jibe against Modi that led to his suspension from the party.Singh issued a statement today, listing those who attended the dinner hosted in honour of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.He said besides himself and former vice president Hamid Ansari, others present at the dinner were the Pakistan High Commissioner, Natwar Singh, K S Bajpai, Ajai Shukla, Sharad Sabharwal, Gen Deepak Kapoor, TCA Raghavan, Satinder K Lambah, M K Bhadrakumar, CR Gharekhan, Prem Shankar Jha, Salman Haider and Rahul Khushwant Singh.