Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Saturday demanded an apology from Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi within 24 hours and dared him to prove his claims with evidences. He also suggested the media to cross check facts before publishing any report.
The CM said, “Some leaders in the State have no work ... but just for the sake to remain in the limelight they feed unauthentic information to sensitise and gain publicity”. Das claimed that his Government was transparent and accountable.
Notably, the JVM chief on Friday had blamed the Government of tapping 30,000 phones of personalities, including politicians, bureaucrats and Central intelligence officials, based in Jharkhand.
“I challenge him (Marandi) to prove this (snooping charges) in 24-hour else he should seek apology from the people of Jharkhand,” said Das adding, “I had not expected such baseless allegation from politicians of Jharkhand and someone who had been Chief Minister of Jharkhand”.
The JVM chief stirred political row with charges of snooping against the State Government and called upon Governor of Jharkhand Droupadi Murmu on Saturday to seek intervention and institute an enquiry by special investigation team (SIT) led by a sitting judge of Jharkhand High Court. Marandi-led delegation included Poraiyahat MlA, Pradeep Yadav and other leaders of the party.
Soon after a brief meeting with the Governor, Marandi stated, “Governor has taken the matter seriously and said it amounts to breach of the right to privacy. This is a punishable offence. Although there are rules allowing phone tapping but the State Government is circumventing the rules and misusing its power”.
Marandi said the proof cannot be made public as the matter is confidential as he swung on to other position saying, “I have the proof which I can produce should any need arise”.
The former CM asserted that the privacy of common man has gone for a toss as the privacy of high and mighty stands compromised. Marandi sought actions against the team that he claimed snooped on 3,000 phones and maintained that if the Government drags it feet on the enquiry then it would be an indication of the Government’s involvement in the matter and being carried out at the direction of the Government.
Incidentally, as per the provisions of Telgraph Act, an agency can tap the phones only after obtaining due permission of the Home Secretary in writing. The agencies engaged in tapping the phones are also required to submit the details of the interceptions to the ministry. For tapping phones, police must move a formal request to the telecom service provider whose designated nodal officer handles the matter.