By IANS,
Bangalore : Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily Saturday termed as “motivated” the remarks of P.C. Alexander that then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi may have had a role in Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson’s release after his arrest in the wake of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
“He is a new convert to the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena and anti-Congress camp because he was not considered for presidentship,” Moily told reporters here.
Alexander was principal secretary to Rajiv Gandhi and earlier his mother Indira Gandhi when she was the prime minister. He has also served as Maharashtra governor.
“It is a motivated statement,” Moily said pointing out that Alexander had become a Rajya Sabha member with the support of the Shiv Sena.
“I think he is responsible (for Anderson’s release) because he was the then principal secretary,” the law ministry said.
Anderson was released within hours of his arrest after the world’s biggest industrial disaster in Bhopal Dec 2-3, 1984 and was permitted to fly back to the US.