Phone tapping rocks House
PTI
NEW DELHI, APRIL 26
Allegations of illegal telephone tapping on political leaders disrupted both Houses of Parliament today although the Government maintained it had not authorised any such activity nor it found any substance in them.
Seeking to put the Government on the mat by comparing alleged phone tapping to Emergency days, the Opposition parties demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and did not allow Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha to function, leading to premature adjournment of the two Houses for the day.
“I wish to state categorically that no telephone tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders was authorised by the previous UPA government. Nor has the present UPA government authorised any such activity,” Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha amid slogan shouting by agitated opposition members. He made an identical statement in the Upper House.
He however said if any evidence was forthcoming or was discovered, the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
Chidambaram said the report in ‘Outlook’ magazine on phone tapping was thoroughly investigated by appropriate agencies and “nothing has been found in the records of the NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) to substantiate the allegations.”
“Further enquiries are being made into the allegations in the magazine. If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies,” said Chidambaram.
The news weekly had alleged in an article that the phones of Union Minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been tapped.
The opposition charge in the Lok Sabha was led by senior BJP leader L K Advani who demanded a “clear” statement from none other than the Prime Minister that the Government will not do any phone tapping. Advani wanted a law to be passed to prevent the government from tapping phones of political leaders.
A similar demand was made in the Rajya Sabha by BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu. Members from the BJP, Left, AIADMK, JD(U) and SP did not allow Question Hour and legislative business in both the Houses of Parliament. The Houses were briefly adjourned twice.
Responding to Advani’s demand, Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee said the Prime Minister could make a statement only at 1530 hours as he had a luncheon meeting with visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Otherwise, they should allow the Home Minister to make a statement to clarify the issue.
But the opposition members were not satisfied with Mukherjee’s statement and continued their protests. Members of the BSP, which is cosying up to the government ahead of the crucial cut motions, were conspicuously silent during the protests.
