Gujarat government has a legacy of collusive cover ups: Tewari

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said the Gujarat Government has a legacy of collusive cover up operations, which have been attempted periodically.

The Gujarat Government recently described the snooping scandal as a state issue and asked the home ministry not to interfere.

"If the allegations are correct, and the snooping was carried out across the state boundaries, it does not remain a state issue. People were followed in aeroplanes across state borders and their phones were put under surveillance. If it was put under surveillance who granted sanction?" asked Tewari.

He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still hasn't answered this question and the issue of the surveillance of telephone is germane to the entire issue of fundamental human rights, as it impinges upon issues of life and liberty.

"If the party has nothing to hide or the mythical sahib or the sahibzyada is upfront, then why are they running way from the investigation? The state has been complicit in an alleged cover up. If you look at the 2002 Gujarat foreground, the only convictions that were secured happened in those matters where trials in the first instance had to be transferred outside Gujarat," he said.

Furthermore, Tewari said if they actually carried out the operation for security of a person, they should open themselves up for a transparent investigation.

Earlier on Sunday, Shinde had said a probe would be conducted. He also said that the investigating agencies have been authorized to take action against snooping.

News portals Cobrapost and Gulail had aired an alleged taped conversation between former State Home Minister of Gujarat Amit Shah, and police officer G.L. Singhal.

In the alleged taped conversation, Shah was instructing Singhal to closely monitor the movements of the woman referred to in the report as "Madhuri", not her real name.

The Gujarat Government headed by Narendra Modi, has set up a two-member panel of former judge Sugunaben Bhatt and retired bureaucrat K. C. Kapoor to probe charges.