Rajasthan Crisis: BJP questions Congress on phone tapping; seeks CBI probe into audio tapes released
Jaipur/IBNS: Amid the ongoing power tussle in Rajasthan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has questioned the ruling Congress if the phones of the state leaders are being tapped as case based on the telephonic conversation between BJP leaders has been filed to investigate an alleged conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government.
The party also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) inquiry into the allegations made by the Congress that BJP was working with its rebel leaders to bring down the Gehlot government.
"The BJP wants a CBI probe into the entire episode. Were all the SOPs followed while tapping the phone call. Is the ruling government in Rajasthan doing this to every political party in the state? We want an immediate CBI inquiry into all this," Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said today in a press conference.
Phone tapping can only be done by authorized agencies as per due process of law and subject to approve safe-guards and SOPs. Each case is also reviewed by a committee chaired by a Cabinet Secretary in case of Central and State Secretary in case of a State govt.: Dr @sambitswaraj
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 18, 2020
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, who was an observer in legislative party meet in Jaipur which unanimously passed a resolution to oust Sachin Pilot from all posts in Rajasthan, had spoken in a press conference on Friday about tapes where BJP leaders including Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was hatching a plan to topple the state government.
Both BJP and Shekhawat have dismissed the allegations, claiming that Congress is implicating the party and its leaders.
Patra alleged that Congress is trying to blame BJP for a conspiracy that had been planned and executed within its camp.
"Congress party has a long history of phone tapping and bugging to settle their political scores. Is it not a case of ‘like father, like son’ even today?" he said.
Congress party has a long history of phone tapping and bugging to settle their political scores.
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 18, 2020
Is it not a case of ‘like father, like son’ even today?: Dr @sambitswaraj on alleged unauthorised phone tapping in Rajasthan. pic.twitter.com/k3R9TFDnCQ
“These are serious questions that we want to ask the Rajasthan Congress and Ashok Gehlot,” the BJP tweeted as well.
“1. Was phone taping done? The Congress govt in Rajasthan must answer. 2. Is it not a sensitive and legal issue, if phone taping has been done? 3. Assuming that you’ve taped phones, was the SOP followed? The people of Rajasthan want to know whether their privacy has been compromised. 4. Did the Congress govt in Rajasthan use unconstitutional ways to save themselves when they found themselves cornered? 5. Is phone of any person who is related to politics is being tapped?” it asked.
These are serious questions that we want to ask the Rajasthan Congress and Ashok Gehlot.
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 18, 2020
1. Was phone taping done? The Congress govt in Rajasthan must answer.
2. Is it not a sensitive and legal issue, if phone taping has been done? pic.twitter.com/dkOdNSsboV
Rajasthan police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) on Friday lodged two FIRs after party’s chief whip Mahesh Joshi lodged a complaint on Thursday night on the basis of three audio tapes, allegedly of conversations detailing the plot to bring down Ashok Gehlot's government, media reports said.
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