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Putting the Congress in a fix, two key United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies — the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the National Conference — on Sunday opposed the Centre’s decision to appoint a judge by May 16 to probe the “snoopgate”, allegedly involving Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi, saying such an action in government’s “dying hours” is wrong.
Snoopgate refers to the allegation of Gujarat machinery being used to keep tabs on a woman. While NCP chief Sharad Pawar called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed his opposition to the move, Union Minister and senior party leader Praful Patel said: “When the results of the Lok Sabha elections are due in two weeks, where is the need for such an Inquiry?”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference also participates in the government, tweeted: “Was talking to my dad last night & he felt the same way — setting up a commission of inquiry in the dying hours of UPA 2 is just wrong.”
Notwithstanding the opposition, the Congress made it clear the judge would be appointed, asserting that there will be “no compromise”, as the issue involved women of the country.
BJP welcomed the stand taken by the two UPA allies, saying even coalition partners are refusing to be part of Congress’s “politics of vendetta”.
“It shows UPA allies have found sense. They are seeing the truth. This is the politics of vendetta, which is the speciality of Congress. Political parties do not want to get involved in it,” BJP national spokesperson M J Akbar told reporters here.
Modi came in the line of fire after it was alleged that illegal surveillance was carried out on a young woman in Gujarat in 2009 at his and the home minister Amit Shah’s behest.
