Modi government indulging in snooping: Congress

The Congress on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of indulging in "snooping and spying" hours after four Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials were nabbed outside the residence of CBI Director Alok Verma saying that it was a "blatant and brazen" use of agencies.

"Making the agencies dance to their tune by use of brute force, extortion and murky dealings is the real character of the BJP," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference here.

He said that four officers, reportedly belonging to the IB, were thwarted by the security guards and PSOs of Verma, who had been sent on leave on the directions of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

"There is unimpeachable evidence on camera of at least four officers, early morning today (Thursday), belonging to IB were thwarted at the gates of concerned people who was sent on leave. They are worried about skeletons coming out of the closet," he said.

Singhvi said, "Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government and President of the ruling party (Amit Shah) were indulging in blatant and shameless surveillance on CBI and have created a fresh new snoopgate. This was nothing but blatant, brazen and beleaguered use of agencies. It also speaks volumes how the IB was being interfered and misused for cheap political end."

He said that it was nothing but a "despotic, malafide and dictatorial attempt to intrude into the daily workings of premier agencies like IB, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC)".

Describing the snooping by four IB officials as a dark period for democracy, Singhvi said that the Congress with full responsibility wants to underscore this murkiness.

He alleged that Modi was so scared and frustrated about the opening of the Rafale scam investigations, that he could not wait for the sun to rise, and unilaterally asked Verma to go on leave.

"Most shockingly, in a clear cut attempt to cover up his government's shoddy dealings in the Rafale scam, he has appointed an interim CBI Director, M. Nageshwar Rao who has several questions of impropriety, sweetheart deals and misconduct pending against him," Singhvi said.

Earlier in the day, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also attacked the government, saying the 'IB was heading the CBI way'.

"After making CBI as 'Central Burial of Investigation', the Modi government now stoops to a 'new low' -- Snooping on 'forcibly removed' CBI Director through IB," Surjewala said.

"Let everyone be forewarned -- IB is heading the CBI way!" Surjewala tweeted.

--IANS

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