By IANS,
Gandhinagar: The opposition Congress in Gujarat Wednesday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani for being a mute spectator on the issue of phone tapping in Gujarat while not allowing parliament to function on the same issue in Delhi.
Shaktisinh Gohil, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, told media persons here that an affidavit submitted before the Nanavati Commission, looking into the 2002 Gujarat riots cases, brought out the issue of phone tapping in the state.
The affidavit was submitted by R.B. Sreekumar, a former intelligence chief of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in Gujarat, and an officer of the rank of additional director general of police.
The now retired police officer pointed out that the chief minister and his then principal secretary P.K. Mishra ordered to tap the telephone of BJP leader and former minister Haren Pandya. He said the instructions were carried out by then Inspector General of Police O.P. Mathur.
Gohil, who sent a copy of the affidavit to Advani, said even the telephone of then state Congress chief Shankersinh Vaghela was tapped.
The Congress leader said: “Advani considers tapping such a serious matter that he is not allowing parliament to function. On the other hand, his own chief minister (Modi) indulges in such acts,” he added.
Gohil categorically said tapping of phones of both BJP and Congress leaders as well as some businessmen still takes place in Gujarat at the behest of the powers that be.
He said it was common knowledge that though both Modi and Pandya belonged to the BJP, the two were sworn enemies.
Pandya was found murdered March 26, 2003.
“Within hours of Pandya’s murder, Advani issued a statement terming it a job of terrorists. He made the statement even before the police investigations began. How did he know this?” Gohil asked.