JAIPUR: Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Rajasthan government over allegations of phone tapping made by its own Cabinet Minister Kirori Lal Meena. Speaking in Jaipur on Wednesday, Pilot questioned the government's inaction on the issue, emphasizing that such claims from a minister within the ruling party were alarming.
"If a responsible minister from their own government is saying his phone has been tapped, then action must be taken immediately," Pilot asserted. Expressing his astonishment, he added that instead of addressing the issue, the BJP leadership was issuing show-cause notices to Meena.
Highlighting the principle of collective responsibility in governance, Pilot demanded a transparent investigation and urged the government to release a white paper on the matter.
While targeting the BJP, Pilot also seemed to take an indirect dig at his own party’s past actions under Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. "Phone tapping is a serious crime, whether it happened now or in the past—it must be thoroughly investigated," he remarked.
His statement is significant, as the Gehlot-led Congress government had faced similar allegations in 2020. During Pilot’s rebellion against Gehlot’s leadership, several MLAs loyal to him had accused the government of surveillance and phone tapping.
When asked about those past allegations, Pilot responded cautiously, stating, "The matter is sub judice, under investigation, and the truth will eventually come out."
The phone-tapping controversy has created a major stir in the Rajasthan Assembly, with the Congress seizing the opportunity to put the BJP on the defensive. However, the issue has also reignited scrutiny over former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s tenure.
BJP leader and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had previously filed a case over alleged phone surveillance, while former OSD to Gehlot, Lokesh Sharma, admitted in court that he had received phone recordings of rebel MLAs on a pen drive from Gehlot, which were then circulated to the media. The case is currently under trial at Patiala House Court in Delhi.
Apart from addressing the phone-tapping row, Pilot also raised concerns about the ongoing farmers' agitation in Gharsana, where farmers are demanding increased water supply from the canal system. Warning that the protest could escalate, he urged the government to intervene immediately, noting that Gharsana has a history of intense farmer movements.
As political tensions rise in Rajasthan, the phone-tapping allegations have become a major flashpoint, with both the Congress and BJP using them to corner each other. With legal proceedings underway, the issue is set to remain a focal point in the state’s political discourse.