The Congress on Wednesday raised the issue of >“snooping devices” being allegedly found in the residence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari i n the Lok Sabha. As soon as the House resumed at 12 noon following an adjournment, Mallikarjun Kharge sought a statement from the Government on the issue.
Denials issued by the Minister and the Government notwithstanding, the Congress pressed for a statement on the issue and earlier, during the Question Hour, Congress Members trooped into the well of the House raising slogans.
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During Zero Hour, referring to the affidavit filed by the then DIG of Police in Gujarat who had alleged that the phones of as many as 29,000 people were tapped [in Gujarat], Mr. Kharge sought a statement on the issue by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. He also demanded to know how many other Ministers and government officials have such equipment at their residences.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in his statement before the House denied the reports. He ruled out a probe as the reports on the grounds that the reports are “baseless”.
“The Minister himself [Mr. Gadkari] has himself denied the report. The allegation is baseless and there no question of getting an investigation done. This news should not be taken seriously,” Mr. Singh said.
Mr. Gadkari was present in the House when the issue was raised and the statement put forth by the Home Minister. Outside Parliament, he told mediapersons that the reports are “false and baseless”. The Minister said reports first claimed that the bugging devices were found at his Delhi residence, but later said they were found at his Mumbai residence.
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