The Opposition on Thursday staged a walkout in the Assembly demanding a judicial probe into the allegations that the government was tapping the phones of political and religious community leaders.
Raising the issue, Deputy Opposition Leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that the UDF Government was trying to target its political opponents by using police.
“The Home Department has been hijacked by a section of Congressmen who were part of the ‘A’ group. Since (Defence Minister)Antony is no longer part of the group, now it is the “O” group. It is using the Home Department to defeat its opponenents including the other group in the Congress,” he said targeting Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
“When it comes to intercepting phone calls, the Home Minister’s stand is similar to that of US President Barack Obama. NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said his phone was tapped. He had also alleged that KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala’s phone was also tapped, which Ramesh hasn’t denied yet. Thirvanchoor Radhakrishnan should make it clear whether the charge is true,” he said.
Replying to Kodiyeri, Thiruvanchoor said the government has a well-laid policy for interception. “To intercept a person’s phone an order issued by an officer of not lower than the IG rank is necessary and this order should be cleared by the Home Secretary,” he said.
Thiruvanchoor said the government has not acquired any new building to carry out phone tapping. “I don’t want to disclose the name of the person who did it,” he said.
When CPI leader C Divakran, who sat next to Kodiyeri, insisted on the Home Minister naming the person, Thiruvanchoor said: “You both are sitting side by side. What else should I say?”. Kodiyeri stood up and challenged the Home Minister to carry out a judicial probe into the phone-tapping charge.
