Thursday, August 3 2006 11:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: On the back foot over the mole issue, the BJP yesterday (Aug 2, 2006) sought to defend its leader Jaswant Singh from Congress party's attack on him, insisting that books did not warrant a breach of privilege notice.

Party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra told reporters that Singh's 'A Call to Honour' contained his 'personal views' and books cannot become a basis for a privilege motion.

He said instead a similar discussion should also be allowed in Parliament on the Mitrokhin archives, which claimed funding of Left and Congress leaders by the Soviet Russia.

"You begin it with Mitrokhin then," he said.

The BJP leader, however, parried questions as to whether the former External Affairs Minister risked losing his position as the Opposition leader in the House for pushing the party to an 'awkward position' on the US mole he has referred to in his book.

"There is no immediate move. But I can't say anything even about myself that whether I would remain the deputy Leader (of the Opposition) in the Lok Sabha five years from now," Malhotra said.