Rajasthan political crisis: BSP slams Congress, says 'phone-tapping is anti-democratic'

Shortly after the Congress released an audiotape transcript accusing the BJP of engaging in horse-trading in Rajasthan, the Gehlot-led government has been hit by serious allegations of phone-tapping. Calling any type of surveillance 'anti-democratic', Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria slammed the Congress Party saying that the matter needed to be seriously probed. 

"I think the issue of phone tapping is a very serious one. It is against the spirit of the constitution and democratic norms. It encroaches into the life of the individuals and therefore doing this kind of practice is against the democratic norms and constitution. All those who were involved in phone tapping need to be probed. And the issue should be taken seriously," said Bhadoria to news agency ANI. 

Bhadoria also called out the Congress party for being hypocritical, accusing them of engaging in horse-trading after all six BSP MLAs defected to the party earlier. "As far as the Ashok Gehlot government is concerned, they have been in the practice of breaking MLAs from different parties. The BSP MLAs in the past also have been taken away by Congress. Even this time in 2019 after the state elections defection of all six MLAs of the BSP was engineered by Gehlot, which is against the anti-defection law," said the BSP spokesperson. 

Read: Congress' Singhvi Alleges Political Angle In CBI Seeking Report On Rajasthan Phone Tapping

BJP demands CBI inquiry; MHA steps in

Earlier on Saturday, addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra demanded a CBI inquiry on the phone taping incident by the Congress. Patra asked the Ashok Gehlot government if orders were passed to tap the phones of all leaders in Rajasthan and are still going on? Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Saturday, has sought a report from Rajasthan’s Chief Secretary over the phone tapping issue in the state. The state's SOG has filed an FIR- naming rebel MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sanjay Jain after tapes were leaked with these persons allegedly conversing about money transactions. Jain and 2 other BJP leaders-  Ashok Singh and Bharat Malani have been arrested by the SOG.

Read: Gehlot Camp MLAs' Lagaan Screening & Yoga Classes Flouted Covid-norms, Claims New Plea

Read: BJP Demands CBI Probe On Gehlot Govt For Phone Tapping After Cong Releases 'leaked Tapes'

(with inputs from ANI)