New Delhi, March 14: The Congress Saturday created a major furore over Delhi Police officials visiting Rahul Gandhi’s residence and making queries about him even as the police chief rejected allegations of snooping, saying it was a routine exercise of being in touch with dignitaries.
The Congress accused the Narendra Modi government of carrying out “political espionage” on Gandhi and demanded a “comprehensive explanation from no less than the home minister and the Prime Minister” while rejecting the police claim that the episode was merely a security issue.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said Delhi Police officials, who visited the party vice president’s residence, had made “unwarranted and weird” enquiries about him.
Gandhi is on a sabbatical since the start of the Budget session of Parliament February 23. Some police officials went to his residence March 12 and reportedly asked how he looks like and what is the colour of his eyes etc. “This kind of political espionage, snooping and surveillance, this kind of intrusion in political opponents’ life–this may be a Gujarat model. It is not India’s model. The track record shows it is a model perfected in Gujarat especially for political opponents, judges, journalists and private persons…,” he said.
The BJP hit back at Congress for charging the Modi government with conducting “political espionage” on Gandhi, saying the opposition party has the habit of seeing conspiracies even in “routine” matters and considered itself above the law. PTI
