Narendra Modi could be in double trouble with Congress moving the Election Commission over his alleged "wrong" affidavits in the past on his marital status and government saying that a judge for the snoopgate probe will be named soon.
"We have not backed out. We have to only name the judge. We will name," Law Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters soon after he led a Congress delegation to the Election Commission demanding filing of an FIR against Modi for his "wrong affidavits" in the past four elections.
When he was questioned by reporters at the AICC headquarters over the government's failure to name the judge for a long time, Sibal remarked, "We know the judge. The timing of the announcement will be decided."
"Yes, yes, the UPA II will announce the name. We have already announced the setting up of the enquiry commission. Therefore there is no violation (of the model code of conduct). We are careful about all these things," the Minister said refrring to the charges of spying on a young woman in 2009 allegedly at the behest of Gujarat Chief Minister Modi.
The Union Cabinet had on December 26 last year decided to set up the Commission of Inquiry to probe into the Gujarat snoopgate.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had requested the Law Minister to recommend a retired judge of the Supreme Court to head the probe panel.
Brushing aside opposition from BJP and the Gujarat government, the Union Cabinet had taken the decision under the Commissions of Inquiry Act under which the Modi government has already set up a similar panel.
The Congress today approached the Election Commission over the issue of the marital status of Modi by seeking action by the poll body against the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for allegedly "hiding" facts in election affidavits filed by him in the past.
It came on a day when Rahul Gandhi raked up the issue of Modi's marriage to hit out at BJP, saying while the party made claims of ensuring safety of women, it took several elections for its PM candidate to mention the name of his wife in the poll affidavit.
"Don't know how many elections he has contested till now, but he has revealed for the first time that he is married. In Delhi, he talks about honour of women, but his own wife's name doesn't reach the affidavit," Gandhi said addressing a poll rally in Jammu and Kashmir.
Modi has for the first time declared himself as a married man by revealing his wife's name as Jashodaben in an affidavit filed before the Election Commission along with his nomination papers for Vadodara Lok Sabha seat. In the previous elections, he left the column blank.
The BJP has defended him saying he has never lied on the matter and there was "no aggrieved party".
