BJP, Cong spar over illegal snooping row

The illegal snooping row intensified today with the BJP rejecting Congress demand for a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge and the ruling party accusing Narendra Modi of heading a "fascist" set up in Gujarat under which a woman was allegedly ordered to be stalked.
BJP said Congress has no authority to ask for a probe as the woman has not lodged any complaint in the matter.
Questioning the authenticity of the taped conversation allegedly between former Gujarat State Home Minister Amit Shah and IPS officer G L Singhal, BJP Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said even Cobrapost- which made the audio CD public- has not vouched for it.

"Congress talk of a probe is all non-sense. Law and Order is a state subject. Has the woman complained about the matter? Her father has issued a statement saying he had asked for security for her. With what authority is the Congress and the Government of India asking for a probe? Prasad said.
He said the "dirty tricks department" of Congress is behind the issue and sought to know how Cobrapost got possession of the tapes, which Singhal had handed over to CBI much earlier.
Dismissing BJP's charge, Congress suggested that the cap fits Modi as he has shown "unconstitutional and dirty attitude" by putting an illegal surveillance on the young girl.

Congress leaders Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Sobha Ojha said the Gujarat Chief Minister will have no right to stay in office if the charges in the case against him were found to be correct.

"What is being witnessed in Gujarat is a fascist arrangement where dictator is one - the Chief Minister. He can kill any body and he can put any body under surveillance."
Two investigative portals, Cobrapost and Gulail, had claimed on November 15 that Amit Shah, the former home minister of Gujarat and 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 and said Modi has lost the moral right to be BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.