)
Close on the heels of former prime minister Manmohan Singh being served summons as an accused in the Coalgate scam, the Congress perceives a concerted attack on its brass by the ruling National Democratic Alliance government, in the wake of alleged “snooping” bid on party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.
For the main opposition party, the incident comes at a time when the government is looking for its support to see its legislative business through in the Rajya Sabha.
Terming the incident as “political espionage”, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was not just the Congress but political opponents and opposition leaders were being targeted by the “Gujarat model” of “police state” perfected under Narendra Modi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson, Sudhanshu Trivedi, trashed the charges, accusing the Congress of making an issue of a non-issue.
Singhvi claimed Delhi Police had been utilised to settle political scores. He argued Gandhi was a Special Protection Group SPG protectee since birth and such questioning by a beat constable was not warranted. Demanding a “comprehensive explanation from no less than the home minister and the prime minister”, Singhvi rejected the police claim it was merely a routine security check.
Singhvi said an assistant sub-inspector of Delhi Police was found snooping around Rahul Gandhi’s residence at 12, Tughlaq Lane with a proforma, seeking information of “weird” nature from the colour of his eyes, hair to the contact numbers and details of his associates.
The party chose to go public with the issue several days after the incident. Angry Youth Congress workers took out protests against Home Minister Rajnath Singh, despite Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi being fielded by the government within minutes of the Congress onslaught.
Several Congress leaders that Business Standard spoke to were sceptical of how much political capital could be derived from this “snooping” incident. “We should rather focus on more crucial issues that we can haul the government on,” said a Congressman.
Interestingly, parallels are being drawn to an incident during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, when a Haryana police constable was allegedly found snooping around his residence. The angry Congress withdrew support to the Chandrashekhar-led government following the incident.
The Congress is not willing to let go of this incident any time soon with the party intent on garnering support from other political parties in the opposition over the issue.
Singhvi said, “After all, I have a right to disagree with you strongly without being intruded, surveyed and espionaged in this manner.”
BJP spokesman Sudhangshu Trivedi hit back at the Congress saying it was devoid of any issues that is why it was making an issue out of such matters to gain political relevance.
ALSO READ: Cop's visit to Rahul Gandhi's home was routine practice, says Delhi Police
