The centre today berated the BJP for its angry reaction to the CBI pursuit against Gujarat minister Amit Shah, saying it was belated and simulated.
Home minister P Chidambaram pointed out that the CBI had filed the case against Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case as per the direction of the supreme court and lawyer Arun Jaitley should have taken note of it.
"Why this belated and simulated anger. Why express this anger lately. They should have said this in January when the supreme court handed over the matter to the CBI," he told reporters in New Delhi when asked about the BJP's allegations that the CBI was being misused to target opponents.
Shah, minister of state for home in Gujarat, was chargesheeted yesterday by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the fake encounter case. He submitted his resignation later in the day.
"This was a supreme court directive and at least (BJP leader) Arun Jaitley should have read it. He is a lawyer. He should have raised it and they should have raised it in January, why raise it now," Chidamabram asked.
The top BJP leadership yesterday refused to lunch with prime minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the government of using the CBI to target the opposition.
