India's opposition parties upset over alleged phone tapping

Sat, 24 Apr 2010

New Delhi - India's opposition parties united Saturday in criticizing the government for allegedly tapping the telephones of key political leaders, including two from the ruling alliance.

A report in the weekly Outlook magazine alleged that government agencies had been tapping the phones of important politicians and ministers since 2006.

Those whose phones were allegedly tampered with included Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it would raise the issue in parliament Monday.

"If the government is tapping the phones of terrorists, or tax evaders or secessionists, then it is understandable as national interest and national security are involved. But tapping phones of politicians and ministers is condemnable," BJP leader SS Ahluwalia said.

"The report shows that the government is using the intelligence and security agencies to serve its political purpose to spy upon opposition leaders and to keep track of even its own allies and party leaders," the CPI-M said in a statement.

Karat said the reported tapping of phones was "illegal and intolerable" and asked the government to take action against those involved.

The Congress Party of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh distanced itself from the row.

"Illegal phone tapping is unjustified but in this case, it is for the government to explain whether phone tapping was done or not or whether it was legal or not," party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.

The Outlook magazine report comes at a time when the government is facing flak over a cricket league scam, with the opposition claiming it had ignored serious financial irregularities for over two years.

The opposition has also been threatening to introduce cut motions, which indicate disapproval of a policy, in parliament to defeat the finance bill which could pose a serious embarrassment for Singh's government, IANS news agency reported.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/320363,indias-opposition-parties-upset-over-alleged-phone-tapping.html.