'Parrikar should give evidence or tender apology': Manish Tewari

Reacting indignantly to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's charges that some former prime ministers had "compromised the country's deep assets", Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday said if the former has evidence to prove his claims, he should make it public, or else tender a public apology.

"If the Defence Minister has evidence to prove that an ex-PM had compromised on national security, then he should make it public. If not, then Defence Minister should tender a public apology for levelling such grave charges," Tewari told ANI.

Congress leader PC Chacko, however, asked Parrikar to clarify things so that there are no unnecessary complications.

"Manohar Parrikar must be more straightforward and clarify things, otherwise this will lead to unnecessary complications," said Chacko.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, defended Parrikar's claims by stating that it was a matter of fact that many Congress leaders had compromised on national security.

"The Defence Minister is an extremely responsible leader, his statement certainly has a lot of context and one should wait for further details. But it is a known fact that many Congress Prime Ministers have compromised on national security," said party spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao.

Another BJP leader Nalin Kohli added that the "Defence Minister speaks in the interest of the nation, when he speaks there would be facts, substance, gravitas behind it."

Media reports had quoted the Defence Minister as saying at an event in Mumbai that "there were some prime ministers who compromised deep assets". He, however, reportedly refused to disclose any names, saying "many people know" about them.