Snoop row:Venkaiah scoffs at Cong demand for probe by SC judge

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today ridiculed ruling Congress for seeking probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the Gujarat snooping row and said it has lost the moral authority to speak on women safety after it came under scanner for commuting death penalties in child rape and murder cases.

"They are pressing their dirty tricks department and misusing investigating agencies also to defame political opponents. There is no complaint from the woman. Father said he has made a request to the Chief Minister. They are trying to make it a national issue..Its laughable," he told reporters.

Two investigative portals, Cobrapost and Gulail, had claimed on November 15 that Amit Shah, the former home minister of Gujarat and Chief Minister Narendra Modi's close aide, had ordered illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "saheb".

They had released taped conversation between Shah and an IPS officer to back up their claim, adding that its authenticity could not be confirmed.

Congress had promptly demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge to fix accountability in the row.

"I would like to remind the Congress your concern for women is known. You people, your government have recommended, and the then President commuted death sentence to life imprisonment in four cases of rape and murder of minor girls, wherein the highest court of land held that these cases are rarest of rare. What is your moral authority to talk about safety and security of women," he asked.

Congress is making false charges against BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as it is rattled by his growing popularity, Naidu maintained.

Referring to Congress seeking de-recognition of BJP and asking the saffron party to change its Prime Ministerial candidate, he alleged that it reflected the frustration of Congress.

Claiming that there is a wave in favour of BJP and Modi in the country, including in the South, he said: "the writing on the wall for Congressmen is clear. They will be out, it will be total rout and there is no doubt. No one can stop Modi with fiction and falsehood".