New Delhi: Former Minister of State for Home and Defence Jitendra Singh Tuesday termed the Nagaland citizen killings 'serious' and 'complete intelligence failure'.
"I have been in both Home and Defence Ministry. I know how an operation is conducted and how intelligence works. This is absolutely a very very serious matter," said Singh in an exclusive interview to ETV Bharat.
Singh, also the general secretary of the opposition AICC, is leading a four-member Congress delegation to Nagaland on Wednesday to meet the kin of the deceased and other state officials.
The other members of the delegation include Dr. Ajoy Kumar (AICC in-charge for Nagaland) and members of parliament Gaurav Gogoi and Anto Antony.
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"Our team and I are visiting Nagaland tomorrow. We will meet the kin of the deceased and other State government officials. After our visit we will submit our report to Congress President Sonia Gandhi," Singh said.
Speaking about the growing demand to repeal the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Singh said: "We will have to see and examine on its need once we get the findings."
On Monday, Congress MPs and other opposition parties demanded the government to AFSPA.
"Unless we go there and meet all the concerned people, we can't tell who is really responsible," he added.
In a case of mistaken identity, army and Assam Rifles personnel killed 14 civilians in Mon district on Saturday.
The incident has raised a massive debate on the imposition of AFSPA that give extra-judicial powers to the armed forces in conflict zones.
