Pak boat explosion: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Pak boat explosion: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Hours after The Indian Express reported the claim by a senior Coast Guard officer that India had “blown off” a Pakistani boat in the Arabian Sea early on New Year’s day, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he was standing by the government’s version that the vessel had self-destructed, and announced an inquiry against the officer.

After The Indian Express released the video showing Coast Guard DIG B K Loshali’s speech, Parrikar said at a press conference, “Has The Indian Express released the video of the incident or (of) the DIG making the statement? So I will make inquiry against that… I will take the video copy.”

He added, “I will check if he has made the statement properly, word to word, whatever is reported. We will take action against the person if required. If he has made the statement after making a proper inquiry.

(Read: Coast Guard DIG: I said at night, blow the Pak boat off, we don’t want to serve them biryani)

There is a procedure that has to go. I am saying we stand by our statement. There is no change in situation.”

Wednesday morning’s edition of The Indian Express reported the contents of Loshali’s speech at the launch of Coast Guard interceptor boat ICGS C-421 at Hazira, Gujarat, on Monday.

“Let me tell you,” Loshali, who is also the Chief of Staff (North West Region) of the Coast Guard, had said. “I hope you remember 31st December night… we blew off that Pakistan… We have blown them off… I was there at Gandhinagar and I told at night, blow the boat off. We don’t want to serve them biryani…”

Loshali’s claim directly contradicted the version of the incident the government and Parrikar himself had put out at the time. The first Defence Ministry release on the incident on January 2 had said “the crew… set the boat on fire”, and Parrikar, while categorically denying that the Coast Guard warship chasing the boat had hit it, claimed the crew had “virtually committed suicide”, perhaps even popping a “cynaide pill” before setting the vessel ablaze.

On Wednesday morning, before The Indian Express made the video of his speech public, Loshali issued a statement denying the report.

“Whatever has been reported by The Indian Express is not factual… I have not made this statement, however I had made a statement that anti-national elements do not need to be served biryani and to be handled as per law of the land,” he said.

“I was not privy to whatever was happening. I have been misquoted. I had mentioned that no anti-national element will be allowed to breach our coastal security and we are not going to serve them biryani. The operation was classified in nature and its details were not shared (with me),” he said.

At his press conference at Aero India 2015, Parrikar began by saying: “The Defence Ministry stands to version it has taken earlier. As of now we have got denial (from the Coast Guard). If any news channel shows that he (Loshali) has said that (India sank the boat), I will inquire and find out.

“But we stand by our (version). At the most you can give me a proof that he has made a statement — you are talking of taking action against him,” Parrikar said.

But, the minister added, “(That) does not change the ground reality. Normally I should have just brushed away the question. But I want to be very clear. If someone tomorrow makes a statement which is incorrect, at the most you are making a case of disciplinary proceedings against him. I told you so clearly. We stand by what we said. Issue is over. Coast Guard has issued denial. He (Loshali) himself has issued denial. You want me to investigate whether he really made it, how he made it, why he made it I will investigate and give you the report.”

He reiterated that the case pertained only to possible disciplinary proceedings against Loshali, and did not change the facts of the incident. Senior sources in the Coast Guard said that a show-cause notice has been sent to Loshali, who has been asked to reply within 48 hours.

“You are making a case of disciplinary proceedings for wrong statement. I told you, please listen, the Defence Ministry has given a very clear statement. We stand by it. The issue is over, the fact of the matter is over with my statement,” Parrikar said at the press conference.

“You analyse yourself. If someone has made some wrong statement, you are making a disciplinary proceedings against him if it is proved that he has made a wrong statement.”

Parrikar, who had in the days immediately following the incident, promised to release evidence to back the government’s version, said that the report was now ready, and would be made available soon.

“But after seeing the report, close the issue,” he said. “There are 15-16 lakh service personnel. If someone makes a statement which is factually incorrect, the only way I can proceed is take action after inquiring into it. Tomorrow someone who because of some reason is not on good terms with the ministry may make a statement… I am not responsible for that statement… I will inquire and also release you the evidence of the event.”

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