The controversy triggered by the reported bugging of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence refuses to die down. The Congress on Monday demanded a probe into the reports while Gadkari and the BJP strongly denied any such snooping. Rejecting the demand for a probe, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said there was no reason for it after Gadkari’s clarification.
“As already stated, I reiterate that no devices were found at my residence anywhere,” Gadkari tweeted on Monday. When the reports first broke out on Sunday, Gadkari described them as “highly speculative”.
Rajnath Singh and his Minister of State Kiren Rijiju declined to join the debate on the issue saying Gadkari himself has clarified that these reports were highly speculative. On whether the Home Ministry would initiate any probe into it, Rajnath said: “Since Gadkari himself has denied it, we have nothing to say.”
A media report had claimed that high-power listening devices were found at Gadkari’s 13 Teen Murti lane residence. The Congress, which on Sunday demanded an explanation from the Government on this issue in Parliament, on Monday sought a probe
by an investigating agency into the episode, saying it was a serious matter.
“It concerns the security of an important person in the Indian Cabinet. If it can happen to him, then God save the country,” said Congress general secretary Manish Tewari.
He said the Government must inform the citizens about the legal architecture available to protect themselves from such incidents. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on Sunday said the matter should be probed.
NCP leader Tariq Anwar said the Government “must issue a statement in the House about the authenticity of the bugging incident and whether the PMO or any external forces were involved in it”.
To a question on whether he had any knowledge of the American National Security Agency wanting to spy on the BJP, former External Affairs Minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid replied in the negative, saying the US had the best of relations with that party.
He said the BJP had all the resources and power at its disposal. “If they think there is something they must look at and investigate, then they should do it,” he added.
The BJP dismissed as “baseless” the claim about the recovery of snooping devices from Gadkari’s residence and alleged that a “frustrated” Congress was trying to rake up such “non-issues” to preserve its identity and tarnish the BJP Government’s image.
“It is unfortunate that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks on an issue like this. It was not expected of him to speak on a matter which does not have any basis,” BJP’s media cell in-charge Shrikant Sharma said.
He said: “The Congress’ frustration is coming out as it is raising such non-issues in order to save its own identity after it got decimated in the lok Sabha polls.”
“The Congress is certainly nervous of the Government’s success in the last 60 days,” he said, adding that the “Congress and its allies are presenting non-issues in Parliament.”