'Advani was aware of Kandahar hostage exchange deal'

STRAIGHT TALK: George Fernandes says senior ministers decided Jaswant Singh should accompany the terrorists to Kandahar.

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Keywords: Jaswant Singh, Kandahar

New Delhi: Former defence minister George Fernandes has said that senior ministers decided Jaswant Singh should accompany the terrorists to Kandahar and it wasn't Singh's unilateral decision to go.

Speaking exclusively to CNN-IBN he suggested that Advani was party to that decision and might be mistaken in his recollection when he says he was not consulted and didn't know.

Karan Thapar: Senior ministers decided that Jaswant Singh should accompany the terrorists? It wasn't a unilateral action taken by Jaswant Singh?

George Fernandes: Yes, I'm sure, I'm certain that was (the case).

Karan Thapar: Were you a part of that meeting?

George Fernandes: I was there, all ministers were present.

Karan Thapar: All ministers?

George Fernandes: Yes.

Karan Thapar: So presumably Advani, as Home Minister, should have been present as well?

George Fernandes: Yes, all of us were present.

Karan Thapar: All of you were there. This means that when Advani says he wasn't consulted, he wasn't informed, his recollection is faulty?

George Fernandes: I don't think that he was lying or anything.

Karan Thapar: Not lying but he could be mistaken? He could be wrong in his memory?

George Fernandes:Yes, that can happen.

Karan Thapar: That can happen?

George Fernandes: Yes.