Obliquely targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's style of functioning, Madhya Pradesh's principal Opposition Congress on Wednesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into tapping of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's telephones.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Spokesman KK Mishra told media here on Wednesday, “This is a serious matter as it relates to the State's head and Congress cannot take it lightly. Besides, phones of the Assembly's leader of the Opposition Satyadev Katare, Congress state President Arun Yadav and other party leaders are being bugged.”
Playing a portion of a conversation between Chouhan and ruling BJP legislator Murlidhar Patidar from a cellular phone, Mishra alleged that tapping is the handiwork of the Prime Minister's Office.Pointing out that it constituted a violation of the freedom of expression and flew in the face of democratic norms, he urged the Chief Minister to reveal the conversation's details.
Such spying or bugging of phones of Ministers and other very important persons was also recently revealed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who alleged that the phone tapping of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and their colleagues is being carried out and even closed circuit television clandestinely installed in their chambers and residences.