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Title : Personal explanation made by Shri Jag Mohan regarding certain remarks made against him by Shri I.K.Gujral.
SHRI JAG MOHAN (NEW DELHI) : Sir, while speaking in the House on May 29, 1998, on recent nuclear test in Pokhran, Shri I.K. Gujraf made following observations about me :
“If Jag Mohan is your advisor, then God help you because then Kashmir will go to the United Nations and then you will have to go to New York. It will not stay in this sub-continent.”
This part of his speech was published prominently in some newspapers including The Indian Express in the box item.
On May 31, 1.998, I wrote to Shri I.K. GujraJ saying, inter alia, as under :
” I cannot understand what made you say what I have quoted above. There is not even a shred of evidence to support your contention. May be, you said it in the heat of the moment. If so, kindly withdraw your observation, in a day or so, in the House. In case you do not agree to this suggestion, I would request you to kindly indicate to me the evidence on which you have based your observations.”
. You had, Mr. Speaker, Sit. kindly called me to speak on this on June 3, 1998. I had requested you to kindly defer this for a day or so because I was stilt awaiting Shri Gujral’s reply. Last night, I received Shri Gujral’s reply which I would iike to read. It reads : My dear Jagmohan Jee,
Since I was travelling to Punjab and Tamil Nadu, ! have seen your letter of 31st May, just now.
I have not seen the Indian Express in which my speech was published, but obviously this is out of context.
As you know, ! have high regards for you and respect for your intellect and knowledge. My remarks in the speech were in the spirit of parliamentary lighthearted reports and not meant in any way to hurt you. I deeply regret if I have in any way embarrassed you.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely… ‘
In view of this kind letter for which I am very grateful to him, I do not wish to pursue the matter any further and treat it as closed.