Can’t link terror to religion, says Karkare’s wife

At a felicitation ceremony for 118 families of martyrs of 26/11 attacks, the Dantewada massacre and Kargil war, in Lucknow on Sunday, the wives of martyred IPS officers Hemant Karkare and Ashok Kamte said politics and politicians should have no role to play in the technical and strategic aspects of police and other central forces operations.

At a felicitation ceremony for 118 families of martyrs of 26/11 attacks, the Dantewada massacre and Kargil war, in Lucknow on Sunday, the wives of martyred IPS officers Hemant Karkare and Ashok Kamte said politics and politicians should have no role to play in the technical and strategic aspects of police and other central forces operations. They should also not be allowed to link terror with any particular group or religion, Kavita Karkare said.

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The felicitation was organised to observe Shaheed Diwas, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“It is sad that people associate terrorism with a particular religion or caste,” said Kavita Karkare when asked about All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh’s comment about a threat to the life of her husband from Hindu extremists. Karkare was the Mumbai ATS chief when he died. She said her husband never spoke to her about any such threat. But, the question was irrelevant now, she added.

Digvijay had earlier said Karkare had spoken to him about the threat from Hindu extremists only a few hours before he was killed on November 26, 2008.

Kamte’s wife Vinita said politicians should not be allowed to comment on and interfere in anti-terror operations. She said the real tribute to martyrs would be a suitable punishment to terror masterminds lodged safely in Pakistan. She said the state and the Central government should try to nail the real culprits instead of politicising the matter.