Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) The government Monday “categorically” denied ordering the tapping of telephones of key political leaders amid vehement protests by a united opposition that stalled both houses of parliament.
Amid a furore over the issue, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha that the government had investigated but found “nothing to substantiate” the allegations reported in the weekly Outlook magazine.

“I wish to state categorically that no telephone tapping or eavesdropping of political leaders was authorised by the previous UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government. Nor has the present UPA government authorised any such activity,” Chidambaram read out from the statement he made in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

He said the allegations in the story were “thoroughly” inquired into after the magazine hit the stands late Friday. “Nothing has been found in the records to substantiate the allegations.”

Outlook had said the government was tapping the telephones of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Prakash Karat and Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

The home minister’s statement came after opposition MPs demanded a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue.

Raising what he said was a “very serious issue” issue, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani wondered in the Lok Sabha if the Emergency days were back in India.

Recalling the tumultuous political period — 1975-77 — in India, Advani called for a new legislation that “must provide statutory safeguards to make it impossible for the government to abuse its powers against political activists”.

“There is total violation and therefore nothing short of the prime minister’s clear reply will satisfy the house,” the BJP leader said, after he was allowed to make a statement in the house.

Other opposition MPs, including CPI-M’s Basudeb Acharia, Janata Dal-United’s Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Lalu Prasad, also stood up and sought to speak.

However, Speaker Meira Kumar refused to let them speak. In protest, the opposition MPs gathered near her podium shouting slogans, finally forcing the speaker to adjourn the house till noon.

Trouble returned when the house reassembled. Amid noisy scenes, some business papers were laid followed by the statement from the home minister.

Chidambaram said intelligence agencies in India were functioning within the law and were accountable to the government.

“The government has respected and upheld the laws of the land. We are committed to defending the rights of every Indian citizen, including the right to privacy,” he said.

He said further inquiries were being made into the Outlook allegation.

“If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies,” the minister said in a bid to pacify the furious MPs.

It apparently didn’t satisfy opposition MPs who kept shouting slogans. Meira Kumar adjourned the house till 2 p.m.

Earlier, heeding opposition demands, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee assured the house that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement in the Lok Sabha in the afternoon after meeting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai who is in India.

“The prime minister is ready to speak in the house at 3.30 p.m.,” said Mukherjee, the leader of the house.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed three adjournments over the issue Monday. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan said the government would make a statement after question hour but this did not satisfy the members.

Unable to restore order, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the house till noon first. The protest by the BJP, Left and Samajwadi Party members continued when the house reassembled at noon.

“How can the government make a statement without hearing us?” asked BJP’s M. Venkaiah Naidu. Failing to restore order, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan adjourned the house till 12.30 p.m.

When the MPs returned, the upper house was adjourned for the day after Chidambaram made the statement but failed to pacify protesting MPs.