Headlines
Routine says police, Congress hits out at 'spying' on Rahul
New Delhi, March 14
The Delhi Police on
Saturday termed as "routine" a policeman's visit to Congress vice
president Rahul Gandhi's house to make queries - including on his
physical appearance - even as the party termed it "political espionage"
and sought an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP
dismissed the Congress' allegations as ridiculous.
Scores of
Youth Congress workers also protested outside the residence of Home
Minister Rajnath Singh over the incident. The Congress' youth
organisation claimed that two workers were injured in police action.
Police
Commissioner B.S. Bassi said Assistant Sub-Inspector Shamsher Singh of
the Special Branch had gone to get a proforma filled and left it at
Gandhi's office March 3. He said the proforma was not person-specific
and gathering such information about "vulnerable people" and revisiting
it was part of the Special Branch's duties.
"If he (the
policeman) had gone with an ulterior motive or for snooping, he would
not have left the proforma behind... There was no snooping, no
instruction from the government of India. There is no pressure on
police," he said.
He said they had such information about
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and police have also visited residences of Congress leader Veerappa
Moily and BJP veteran L.K. Advani.
Bassi, however, admitted that
"some shortcomings had been noticed (about the kind of questions in the
proforma being used since 1999) and these will be rectified."
His
reaction came minutes after Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi
condemned police's "unnecessary and weird inquiries" about Gandhi and
launched a strong attack on the Modi government. The controversy erupted
at a time Gandhi is on "leave of absence" to reflect on the party's
future course.
Alleging a Delhi Police officer was "found
snooping" at Rahul Gandhi's residence a few days ago, he said when the
Special Protection Group personnel stopped him, it was found he was
trying to fill up a form with "very interesting somewhat weird
questions" about Gandhi's name, his father's name, his height, gait, eye
and hair colour, dress and shoes.
"More importantly the
telephone numbers and addresses of each of his (Gandhi's) associates,
friends, what he does, where he goes," Singhvi said.
"This kind
of political espionage, snooping, surveillance and intrusion in
political opponent's life may be the Gujarat model but not the Indian
model," Singhvi said, referring to the oft-quoted Modi's Gujarat model
of development.
Attacking Modi, who served as Gujarat chief
minister for almost 13 years, he said: "Track record may show that it
has been a model perfected in Gujarat. Indeed not only for political
opponents but for, we are told, large number of tales about judges,
journalists and private persons."
Demanding a comprehensive
explanation by the home minister or the prime minister, he said that it
was not a Congress-centric issue and the party will raise it in
parliament. "....It is something which everybody should stand up for,
stand up against. It is something which no law permits," he said, noting
"India is a proud democracy, not a police state".
BJP
spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi however ridiculed espionage charges
levelled by the Congress, quipping the party considered itself to be
above the law.
"They think that the common practices of law do
not apply to them," he said, adding: "If they call it espionage, then it
shows their mentality."
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah however poked fun at the Delhi Police.
"Honestly the Delhi Police-RG office script must have stand up comics salivating at what they can do with it.
"Dear
Delhi Police, just to save your chaps time & effort I'm 179 cms,
medium build, fair complexion, grey eyes & greying hair. U R
welcome," he tweeted.New Delhi, March 14
The Delhi Police on
Saturday termed as "routine" a visit by a policeman to Congress vice
president Rahul Gandhi's house to make queries - including on his
physical appearance - even as the party termed it "political espionage"
and sought an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP
dismissed the Congress' allegations as ridiculous.
Police
Commissioner B.S. Bassi said Assistant Sub-Inspector Shamsher Singh of
the Special Branch had gone to get a proforma filled and left it at
Gandhi's office March 3. He said the proforma was not person-specific
and gathering such information about "vulnerable people" and revisiting
it was part of the Special Branch's duties.
"If he (the
policeman) had gone with an ulterior motive or for snooping, he would
not have left the proforma behind... There was no snooping, no
instruction from the government of India. There is no pressure on
police," he said.
He said they had such information about
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and police have also visited residences of Congress leader Veerappa
Moily and BJP veteran L.K. Advani.
Bassi, however, admitted that
"some shortcomings had been noticed (about the kind of questions in the
proforma being used since 1999) and these will be rectified."
His
reaction came minutes after Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi
condemned police's "unnecessary and weird inquiries" about Gandhi and
launched a strong attack on the Modi government. The controversy erupted
at a time Gandhi is on "leave of absence" to reflect on the party's
future course.
Alleging a Delhi Police officer was "found
snooping" at Rahul Gandhi's residence a few days ago, he said when the
Special Protection Group personnel stopped him, it was found he was
trying to fill up a form with "very interesting somewhat weird
questions" about Gandhi's name, his father's name, his height, gait, eye
and hair colour, dress and shoes.
"More importantly the
telephone numbers and addresses of each of his (Gandhi's) associates,
friends, what he does, where he goes," Singhvi said.
"This kind
of political espionage, snooping, surveillance and intrusion in
political opponent's life may be the Gujarat model but not the Indian
model," Singhvi said, referring to the oft-quoted Modi's Gujarat model
of development.
Taking potshots at Modi, who served as Gujarat
chief minister for almost 13 years, he said: "Track record may show
that it has been a model perfected in Gujarat. Indeed not only for
political opponents but for, we are told, large number of tales about
judges, journalists and private persons."
Demanding a
comprehensive explanation by Home Minister Rajnath Singh or the prime
minister, he said that it was not a Congress-centric issue and the party
will raise it in parliament. "....It is something which everybody
should stand up for, stand up against. It is something which no law
permits."
He said India is a proud democracy, not a police state. "This kind of political espionage is condemnable."
BJP
spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi however ridiculed espionage charges
levelled by the Congress, quipping the party considered itself to be
above the law.
"They think that the common practices of law do
not apply to them," he said, adding: "If they call it espionage, then it
shows their mentality."
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah however poked fun at the Delhi Police.
"Honestly the Delhi Police-RG office script must have stand up comics salivating at what they can do with it.
"Dear
Delhi Police, just to save your chaps time & effort I'm 179 cms,
medium build, fair complexion, grey eyes & greying hair. U R
welcome," he tweeted.