Bugging issue rocks House

Govt says media reports baseless; opposition wants probe, discussion

The opposition parties on Wednesday disrupted proceedings in Parliament demanding an inquiry into reports that Cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari's house was bugged, even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh stated in both Houses that the reports were baseless. While the government sought to play down the issue, the opposition parties demanded a discussion on the issue, asserting it was not an isolated incident and other ministers such as Sushma Swaraj and even Rajnath Singh's phones were tapped.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed apprehension that political leaders in the opposition parties might also have been spied upon. He termed the bugging incident a "violation of privacy and an assault on free speech".

The bugging issue derailed Question Hour in both the Houses. Congress floor managers were determined that once the Finance Bill is passed in Parliament, the party would not allow Parliament, especially the Rajya Sabha, to function if a discussion was not permitted.

A senior leader said: "The discussion must culminate in an inquiry instituted under an independent judge. After all, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while in opposition, had not let Parliament function for about a week when the then LoP (Leader of Opposition) Arun Jaitley's phone was allegedly tapped."

Rajnath Singh dismissed demands for a probe, saying: "There is no truth in those media reports. The minister, too, has termed the reports as baseless and factually incorrect."

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said: "The Prime Minister himself should make a statement. Why is that some members of the BJP (Subramanian Swamy) claim that the snooping was going since October last year and the government completely denies it? There appears to be an inner conflict within the government. We demand a credible inquiry."

According to Congress, if one was to look at previous instances of snooping in Gujarat, surveillance was a common practice.

"It is not an issue of ministers alone; it concerns everyone. It appears that political leaders including those in Opposition are being spied upon," said Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Notably, the first reaction from the BJP camp to the initial reports of Gadkari's house being bugged was to pin the blame on the previous United Progressive Alliance government. However, the BJP-led government has now taken a U-turn, saying the reports on bugging are false.