The controversial order of the UPA Government for a probe into ‘Snoopgate’ may be scrapped with the Union Home Ministry expected to move the Union Cabinet soon to formally abandon the plan.
A note will be presented before the Union Cabinet to scrap the December 26, 2013, order to set up a judicial commission of enquiry to probe the charges of surveillance of a young woman in 2009 in Gujarat, official sources said.Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has already indicated that the “politically-motivated” decision to set up the inquiry commission will be reviewed by the NDA Government.
BJP had strongly opposed the controversial move by the then Manmohan Singh Government and demanded that the probe be stopped as a parallel inquiry had been ordered into the matter by the Gujarat Government. The UPA Government’s decision to set up the inquiry triggered a political row as ‘Snoopgate’ was alleged to have involved Narendra Modi when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister.
Though the UPA Government sought to have a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the issue, it could not find one to head the said inquiry until the fag-end of its rule at the Centre despite its assertion of setting up the panel before the lok Sabha election results came on May 16.UPA’s partners NCP of Sharad Pawar and National Conference of Farooq Abdullah had opposed the move by the Congress-led Government at the fag end of its tenure leading to the Centre junking it altogether.