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New Delhi, The Congress on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha on issues related to “snooping” of its vice-president Rahul Gandhi and rape of a nun in West Bengal. The “snooping” issue was also raised in the Lok Sabha, with Congress Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the government of “political espionage”.
Raising the “snooping” issue in the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was impingement on political freedom in the country. Azad also linked the issue to the growing religious intolerance in the country. Citing the example of the rape of a nun in West Bengal and desecration of churches, he said people are being denied freedom to practice the religion of their choice.
Accusing the government of ‘political espionage’, Kharge questioned: “Is this the Gujarat model that they want to repeat here?
“When Rahul Gandhi already has SPG protection, why was this proforma sent to him? Why did Delhi Police officers visit his house three times?” Kharge asked during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, terming it as “attack on personal freedom and privacy which undermines democracy”.
Proforma part of transparent security profiling: Jaitley
Responding to the charges, Leader of Rajya Sabha and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in both Houses the police has been collecting such information since 1987 on VIPs living in Lutyens Delhi through a proforma as part of a transparent security profiling.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu Naidu responded to the questions, reading out a list of names that included President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former PMs Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a number of present Union ministers who have also been similarly profiled by the Delhi Police. “It is a self-goal by the Congress,” he said.
Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha the Congress was making a “mountain out of what is not even a molehill” as information collection was part of a transparent security profiling used on 526 VIPs, including Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Ministers.
Jaitley said the police have been collecting such information since 1987 on VIPs operating out of Lutyens Delhi through a profoma form as part of security profiling.
The proforma, which was revised in 1999, has been used to profile former Prime Ministers H D Dewa Gowda, I K Gujral, Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The same was also used to profile Congress President Sonia Gandhi in October 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Finance Minister said.
Pranab Mukherjee, before becoming the President, was profiled in 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012, while senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Ahmed Patel of Congress, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury and Sharad Yadav of JD-U were also profiled, he said.
“526 persons have been profiled using the present form,” he said, adding that this was part of “transparent, security profiling and not associated with any kind of snooping or syping.”
“It is not that it has been started in the last 8 months,” he said and proposed to sit with Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to go through the 526 forms filled during the previous UPA rule.
On the proforma seeking information on shoe size, colour of eyes and other such information, Jaitley said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was identified by his shoes after his assassination.
Security needs and profiling should be left to security experts and “we should not attempt to become one”, he said, adding “the issue raised is making mountain of what is not even a molehill.”
Jaitley said the practice of security profiling started in 1987 under the Congress rule.
Maintaining that he had given a notice under Rule 267 to suspend business so as to take up the issue, Azad said in his 35 year career, including as a top security protectee, he had not seen such a proforma for security profiling.
Rahul Gandhi, he said, has been a SPG protectee right since his father Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister and it was beyond comprehension why Delhi Police was only now collecting such information like his shoe size, colour of hair, habits, his associates, friends and aides.
After an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Special Branch of Delhi Police visited Rahul Gandhi’s 12 Tughlaq Lane Residence on March 2, two senior officers had again visited his place on March 14 to gather information on his aides, Azad said.
Azad charges govt with spying on political opponents
Charging the government with snooping and spying on political opponents, he said the government was “resorting to threats, coersion and pressure to quell political dissent”.
“If you raise voice, the Central Government can use any measure,” he said demanding that Home Minister Rajnath Singh should come to the House and explain.
Last year there were reports of NDA government minister’s telephone being tapped, he said, adding since BJP assumed power in May 2014, religious and political freedom have been curbed. “The Delhi Police action is against privacy and against democracy,” Azad said.
K C Tyagi (JD-U) said the security profiling has “never been heard of” and demanded a discussion on invasion of privacy as well as corporate and political espionage.
Naresh Agarwal (SP) alleged that one lakh telephones were being tapped everyday without requisite permission and warned that the privacy of individuals should not be challenged.
Sonia never filled any such form: Cong
The Congress denied that party president Sonia Gandhi filled any form like the one Rahul Gandhi’s staff was asked to fill. “Government is issuing misleading statements on the snooping issue. Sonia Gandhi never filled any such form,” Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police chief B S Bassi today briefed Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on the snooping row. Rijiju is expected to make a statement in Parliament on the matter. He will make the statement on behalf of his Home Minister Rajnath Singh who is in Japan.
Bassi briefed Rijiju and top Home Ministry officials, including Home Secretary L C Goyal, about the circumstances leading to the visit of a Delhi Police official to Gandhi’s residence here for security profiling.
Official sources said Rijiju has prepared a note on the basis of Bassi’s briefing and a statement is expected to be made in Parliament.
Congress has alleged that police visiting Rahul’s residence is part of “political espionage” of the NDA government. (With PTI inputs)
