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Cong targets govt on Rahul Gandhi 'snooping' issue

by IBNS 15 Mar 2015, 11:28 pm

New Delhi, Mar 16 (IBNS): The Rajya Sabha witnessed a political storm with the Congress raising the the issue of 'snooping' on party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the Upper House of the Parliament while the government completely rejected the allegations on Monday.

The opposition even walked out of the Rajya Sabha by protesting against the issue.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "This snooping is against the democracy of the nation."

He said he has never seen such a  'proforma' during his political career.

He said: "I have been under the Z-plus security for the past several years and no such routine security check have been conducted on me."

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made a statement on the issue and said the the opposition was making 'mountain of what is not even a molehill'.

He said: "Snooping is keeping a watch on someone silently. But by visiting someone's office and then asking staff to fill out pro forma is not  snooping."

He said the format of the proforma was changed in 1999.

Jaitley said the profiling was also done during the regime of the UPA government.

In the Lok Sabha also the Congress raised the issue and party leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I will like to know who gave the instructions and ordered to take the move."

Attacking PM Narendra Modi, he said: "Is this the Gujarat model which is being followed here now? Are they trying to scare the opposition leaders?"

"In a democracy, we have never seen such an incident ever," he said. 

The Congress has claimed that policemen visiting  Gandhi's residence at 12 Tuglak Lane last week, had asked for details like the colour of his eyes and hair.

The Delhi Police has said it was a routine visit as part of a security audit for all members of Parliament and no personal questions were asked.

Gandhi has been on a "leave of absence" since the Lok Sabha started for the budget session. The Congress has said he  is "abroad for introspection and soul searching.