Rajasthan Political Crisis: 'We demand CBI probe in phone tapping matter', says Sambit Patra

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter of phone tapping in connection with Rajasthan political crisis and raised several questions from the Congress whether they indulged in phone tapping.

"We demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into this matter, whether phone tapping was done or SOPs were followed. Is there an emergency situation in Rajasthan? Are all political parties being targeted this way?" said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra while addressing the media.

"State Government should answer whether they indulged in phone tapping as Chief Minister and their other leaders are saying the audio is authentic whereas in FIR it is mentioned as purported," he added.

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Patra questioned whether the phone tapping was done by authorized agencies by following due process of law and subject to approve safeguards and SOPs.

"Today we want to ask some serious questions to the Rajasthan Congress government. First, was phone tapping done? Is it not a sensitive and legal issue, if phone tapping has been done?" said Patra.

The BJP spokesperson continued saying that the political drama of the Congress party in Rajasthan is unfolding every second. It is a cocktail of conspiracies, concocted stories, manufactured lies and illegalities.

"The reality is that in 2018 when the process of government formation was taking place in Rajasthan. At that time, two groups of Congress party were fighting--Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot's groups. Who will become the Chief Minister was the issue of spark between the two groups," said Patra.

"When Ashok Gehlot became the Chief Minister, a cold war continued to prevail within the party. Yesterday, CM Ashok Gehlot himself told the media that since 18 months, the CM and Deputy CM were not in talking terms. He has raised a question that was BJP controlling all this via a phone call...Of course not, the sin is theirs. Conspiracy existed within the Congress party," he added.

He said some allegations have been made stating that BJP is trying to topple the Congress government through the medium of audio clips. But a conspiracy is being hatched via these manufactured clips.

"Assuming that you have taped phones, was the SOP followed? The people of Rajasthan want to know whether their privacy has been compromised. Did the Congress government in the state use unconstitutional ways to save themselves when they found themselves cornered? Any person who may belong to any political group in Rajasthan, is his or her phone being tapped in Rajasthan government? Is it not a situation of an emergency in Rajasthan?" he added.

Two FIRs have been registered by the Congress leader Mahesh Joshi pertaining to the audio clips on the alleged conspiracy to topple Rajasthan government on Friday.

These complaints were filed after Randeep Singh Surjewala read out a transcript of alleged audio of horse-trading between rebel MLAs and BJP at a press conference yesterday.

(ANI)

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