Parliament adjourned over phone-tapping issue

New Delhi, Apr 26 (ANI): Parliament was adjourned till Tuesday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Opposition staged an uproar over the phone-tapping issue, and asked the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to clarify the government's position on it.

The BJP said Dr Singh must give a detailed explanation on the phone-tapping issue in Parliament.

It also demanded the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the issue.

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said the government would give a reply in the Parliament.

"The government will make an answer on the floor of the House," said Moily.

"I wish to state categorically that phone tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders was not authorised by the previous government nor has the present government authorised any such activity," said Chidambaram.

"We will look into the allegations of the story of Outlook, nothing has been found in the records of NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) to substantiate the allegations," he added asserting that inquiries were being made.

Chidambaram also said that the alleged reports in the magazines were not substantiated. "Nothing has been found in the records of the NTRO or elsewhere to substantiate the allegations," the home minister said.

"Our intelligence agencies function within the law, they are fully accountable to the government. Such monitoring may be necessary to fight crime, ensure national security, or for our counter terrorism efforts. This is subject to multiple tests and oversight," he added.

The Opposition continued to shout, forcing the Lok Sabha to be adjourned for a second time today.

Earlier, Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani on Monday has called for the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the phone-tapping issue.

"The House won't be satisfied till the PM comes and explains."

Advani harked back to the days of Emergency and said this situation was something akin and against the fabric of democracy.

'Outlook' magazine in a cover story had reported that government intelligence agencies had tapped the phones of Communist Party leader Prakash Karat, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Congress leader Digvijay Singh among others. (ANI)