BJP demands Opposition's apology after Headley links Ishrat Jahan to LeT

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday asked the Congress, Left and other Opposition parties if they were prepared to apologise to the nation for their "malicious campaign" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the killing of Ishrat Jehan in an encounter in Gujarat in 2004.

Addressing a huge rally in Thiruvananthapuram, he said Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley in his deposition had clearly admitted that Ishrat Jehan had links with Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"You must have heard what Headley has said in his deposition. Using Ishrat Jehan's name, various allegations were made against our party leaders. On that matter, Headley has clearly stated that she (Ishrat) had links with LeT," he said.

"I want to ask Congress, Communists and other parties who had continuously launched a malicious campaign to mislead the people on this issue, whether they are prepared to tender apology to the people of the country," he said.

Rajnath Singh earlier asserted that the revelations made by Headley before a Mumbai special court has exposed Pakistan, adding that New Delhi would still prefer cordial relations with Islamabad.

"I think Pakistan has been exposed. Even then, we would like to have a very cordial relationship with Pakistan," said Rajnath Singh.

Resuming his deposition via video-link after a day's break due to technical glitch at the US end, Headley told the special court that the ISI was helping different terror outfits in Pakistan and was providing financial, military and moral support.

Read: ISI funded terror operations and my trips to India, says David Headley

Headley also told the court that Pakistan native Tahawwur Rana was aware of his connection with LeT and that he had gone to India for intelligence work on instructions of the terror outfit. He also revealed that all his India trips were sponsored by ISI to conduct reconnaissance of possible targets.

Giving details of his funding, Headley said, "Before coming to India in September 2006, he received USD 25,000 from ISI's Major Iqbal. I also got 40,000 in Pakistani currency from LeT operative Sajid Mir between April and June 2008," he told the court, adding that Major Iqbal used to regularly send him money in instalments.

Read: ISI funds LeT & JeM: David Headley tells Mumbai court

“Also, Major Iqbal gave me counterfeit Indian currency once or twice in 2008,” he said, adding, “Besides, Abdul Rehman Pasha, also from ISI, gave me Rs 80,000.”

Read: Was working for ISI, met many people from Pakistan army: David Headley

"Tahawwur Rana (Headley's associate and a Pakistani native who operated a Chicago-based immigration business) used to send me money from the US in September 2006 when I came to India to do intelligence work on instructions of LeT," he told the court.

Read: Centre Pakistani-American terrorist welcomes Headley's revelations

Headley, who had conducted recce of the places in Mumbai which were attacked by 10 LeT terrorists on November 26, 2008, also revealed that the outfit had initially planned to attack a conference of Indian defence scientists in Taj Mahal Hotel.

Read: Was inspired by Hafiz Sayeed's speeches, reveals David Headley

He also said that he had conducted a recce of the famous Siddhivinayak Temple and Naval Air Station on directions of LeT commanders.