Snoopgate: Cong accuses BJP of creating obfuscation

Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma says Modi has perfected the 'art of preempting inquiries' against himself

Rejecting BJP's charge that Centre's inquiry into snoopgate smacks of political vendetta and is an attack on federal structure, Congress today accused the Opposition party of "creating an obfuscation" as Narendra Modi was involved in "cheap abuse" of power in the case.

Some party leaders felt that the inquiry should have been ordered earlier with Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma going to the extent of saying "Modi would have been in jail" had the probe started earlier.

"The Central government has independent powers under the central act and the central government has acted. Just because Modi is involved in cheap abuse of his Constitutional and statutory powers beyond the boundary of the state and within the state does not make it a Constitutional principle.

"It does not make it a federal issue. It's no point creating an obfuscation merely because Modi is involved," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.

Attacking the BJP for making an issue of the Centre's order on setting up an inquiry into the issue, Singh said the moment Modi's name is taken, the whole of the BJP starts feeling extremely excited "tilting the windmills".

He also alleged that Modi has perfected the "art of preempting inquiries" against himself.

"He likes to first appoint his own inquiries, an inquiry in which the country cannot have any faith. He did it earlier during the Godhra issue by quickly appointing a committee. He has done it here also by preemptively appointing someone.

"And we know the composition involves judges, who have already state positions, who have already given clean chit to the government in other inquiries. That cannot deter the central government," Singhvi said.

The Congress spokesperson maintained that the issue stands at the intersection the issue of a Constitutional functionary, a Chief Minister involved in misusing power completely and abusing his state machinery for invading the privacy of individuals.

"Now if that is not an issue for a Commission of Inquiry, which the Central government has full power to deal with, then what is," he asked.