BJP flays any move to inquire into snooping of Gujarat woman

Hours after Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde indicated the Centre may order an inquiry into the snooping of a woman in Gujarat, allegedly involving BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, the party condemned such a move, charging it would be violative of Constitution.

BJP's spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said the entire matter is a law and order issue, which is a state subject, and any interference by the Centre would be against the Constitution.

He warned Congress against such "dirty action" after it faced a "shameful rout" in recent assembly polls.

"We warn the government of India against such dirty actions. Narendra Modi is our PM candidate. His popularity is at a new high. Recently, Congress faced a shameful rout in assembly polls. Now please don't adopt such dirty methods," he said.

The woman, who was allegedly snooped on by state authorities, and her family have not made any complaint, he said, stressing that his father wrote against any probe.

Shinde had said many women's organisations and NGOs had given representations to President Pranab Mukherjee demanding a probe into alleged snooping and the President had referred the applications to the Home Ministry.

Two investigative websites had released tapes which, they claimed, carried conversations between the then Gujarat home minister Amit Shah, considered a close aide of Modi, and an IPS officer about spying on the woman.

Congress has accused Modi's involvement in the matter, saying his aides were spying at his behest. BJP said it was done to give her security.