PTI

New Delhi, Dec 19: Government will reveal its stand in Parliament on the issue of union minister A R Antulay before the adjournment of the current session. 

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said this in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The statement of Mukherjee, who is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha, came amid opposition demands for the sacking of the Minister in the wake of the storm triggered by his remarks on the circumstances surrounding Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare's killing.

"The House is meeting for a couple of days. Before the House adjourns we will explain the Government position,"
Mukherjee said adding that there was no use raising the issue everyday as he had stated this position even yesterday.

Meanwhile, A R Antulay sticks to his stand over the killing of Hemant Karkare and refuses to confirm or deny his resignation. "I haven't embarrassed my party anyway," says Antulay on Friday. He further said no one from congress has forced him to resign. "The Congress has not asked for any clarification from me," Antulay said.

Earlier union minister has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, highly placed sources said on Friday. ( Watch )

79-year-old Antulay, whose remarks created an uproar in Parliament and outside with the opposition parties demanding his removal, had sent his resignation on Wednesday night, they said.

When contacted, Antulay declined to comment, saying "I am neither confirming it nor denying it".

Earlier on Wednesday, Antulay set off a major political row by demanding a probe into the shooting of Karkare in the 26/11 terror strikes which he linked to investigations into the alleged involvement of Hindu radicals in the Malegaon blast case.

Stating that the circumstances of Karkare's shooting "may be inquired into", Antulay seemed to have borrowed a leaf from Pakistani TV hosts who have claimed that the Mumbai attacks were the handiwork of "Hindu-Zionists". Antulay told the media outside Parliament's gate number 12 that "there must have been some reason why Karkare went to Cama hospital instead of Taj and Oberoi hotels."

Antulay said "someone" could have told Karkare and other officers with him to go to Cama hospital, suggesting that the ATS chief fell victim to a set-up as he was probing cases which involved Hindu radicals in the Malegaon case. The comments were immediately televised and triggered an uproar in Lok Sabha where BJP and Shiv Sena MPs vehemently criticised the minister who insisted that directions issued to the officer must be probed.

A red-faced Congress swiftly dissociated itself from the minister with party spokesperson Abhisekh Singhvi saying, "We don't accept the inference and the innuendo that underline the statement (of Antulay)...we don't agree with bringing this case (Karkare's killing) under a cloud."

But Antulay was unfazed, virtually daring the Congress to sack him and offering to "explain" the geography of south Mumbai to his party.

He got support from the RJD with party leader Devendra Yadav also expressing suspicion of involvement of Hindu radicals in Karkare's killing. As his boss Lalu Prasad looked on approvingly, he said, "Two days before Karkare was killed, who had given a call for Maharashtra bandh?"

Reacting to the controversy, BJP condemned Antulay's statement and said the minister was as good as playing ISI's attorney and demanded his sacking.