While finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday tried to play down the reports of ‘bugging’ of his office, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj demanded a thorough probe.
Mukherjee asked the media not to waste time on “bogus things”. “Don't waste your time on this,” he shot back at reporters who sought replies on his statement yesterday that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) found nothing in alleged bugging of his offices.
"In respect of news item regarding bugging in my office, the IB investigated into it and found there is nothing in it," Mukherjee had said on Tuesday.
The opposition, however, has termed it as a serious issue. Describing the reported bugging as "India's Watergate", Swaraj has sought to know if the government was spying on its own minister or a corporate house was doing so.
BJP termed as a "big joke" the Intelligence Bureau's "chewing gum theory" regarding the alleged bugging of finance minister’s office.
"The allegation of spying at Pranab Mukherjee's office is a serious matter. The Finance Minister himself may try to dismiss it...He may be under some compulsions. But the country wants to know," Swaraj stressed.
Swaraj said Mukherjee's complaint to the Prime Minister in September regarding discovery of planted adhesives at 16 places in North Block including his own office, his adviser Omita Paul's room, his private secretary Manoj Pant's office and two conference rooms -- should be taken seriously.