NEW DELHI: Summoned by NCW for his remarks defending sacked Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar, AAP leader Ashutosh today chose to rake up the 2009 Gujarat snooping row demanding that the rights body first probe the alleged role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.
Ashutosh, who is AAP spokesperson, today met National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam, who had summoned him over his controversial blog in which he came out in support of Kumar who was sacked over an alleged sex scandal.
He submitted a written complaint to the Chairperson about the alleged snooping incident in 2009, which he later shared on twitter. "If you want to hang me, hang me. But let me bring to your attention a far serious allegation."
"...A woman was harassed by men occupying constitutional posts. If it goes without being investigated and persons being unpunished, if found guilty, then the women of this country will lose faith in NCW in particular and in justice in general," he said.
"...The demand of justice is that NCW under your august leadership should take cognisance of this matter seriously, send notice to both- Mr Amit Shah and Mr Modi- summon them to the NCW office for an explanation and further investigation just as you have sent a notice to me," Ashutosh wrote in his letter.
The snooping controversy erupted after claims by two investigative portals in 2013 that former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "Saheb", alleged to be Modi. The BJP had trashed the allegations, calling it a handiwork of "dirty tricks" department of rivals.
Ashutosh today tweeted, "NCW chairperson has promised to register a complaint against Narendra Modi/Amit Shah and initiate action on snooping of a woman. Thanks Mam (sic)."
Kumaramangalam, however, denied it and said she had merely received the complaint.
"In the so called reply, he also made allegations against BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Commission has received the letter and we have informed him that we will process the letter and give him our answer in a couple of days."
"...We have said that we will process the letter according to our mandate. What we can do further will only be decided when I sit with my legal team," Kumaramangalam said.
She also said that NCW didn't find AAP leader's reply "satisfactory". Ashutosh later told the media, "I have clearly said that the NCW letter summoning me is a violation of my fundamental right to freedom of speech."
NCW had summoned Ashutosh earlier this week objecting to "his reprehensible and demeaning blog...which reeks of patriarchy and misogyny".
Ashutosh had written a blog for NDTV website on the sex CD row in which former Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar figured. Ashutosh's blog asked, "The question is that if two consenting adults are physically involved with each other is it a crime?"
The woman in the CD, however, later filed a police complaint against Kumar following which he surrendered before police. A trial court today extended his police custody by a day.