Snoopgate: BJP says, Congress deliberately diverting attention of people

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley on Friday said that the Congress appointing a judge to probe "Snoopgate" is a desperate attempt by the party to deliberately divert attention of the people from real issues of unemployment, price rise and corruption.

"The Congress is desperately trying to get at least one judge to agree to head the 'Snoopgate' commission. I doubt if any such attempt of theirs is likely to succeed. Even if it did, the future government would be well within its legitimate rights to review such a malafide last-minute decision of the UPA," said Jaitley.

"For last five months, they couldn't find a judge to probe Snoopgate. Now in desperation, they want to fill that position hastily," he added.

Earlier in the day Sibal said that by May 16, the government would be appointing a judge to probe "Snoopgate", and questioned as to why the BJP leaders are worried about such an inquiry commission being set-up.

"You will get a snoop-gate judge before May the 16th. I do not know why these people are so worried, why leaders of the BJP are worried and why they are making public statements that no judge should join this commission? Because they know for the fact that once the commission is set up there is no saving Narendra Modi. There is documentary evidence of what he has done; how he has snooped on the activities of a young girl. And you see, they set-up the commission in Gujarat immediately. It is really surprising that in Gujarat the chief minister who is sought to be prosecuted or sought to be investigated under such a commission sets up his own commission in the state seeking to probe himself by an appointee of his liking; do you think that case will ever move forward?," Sibal asked.

Sibal also expressed doubts over the ability of the commission of inquiry appointed by the Gujarat Government to pursue Snoopgate.

The incumbent -Congress led UPA Government- may reportedly approach the Allahabad High Court seeking the services of a sitting judge to head the commission of enquiry. The Government plans to complete this process before the outcome of this election.

Yesterday, Jaitley had said that he would be taken aback if any judge agrees to probe into Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government's alleged illegal surveillance on a woman architect.