Jagan Reddy govt illegally tapping phones: Chandrababu Naidu urges PM Modi to order enquiry

New Delhi, Aug 17: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging telephone tapping by the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the state.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chandrababu Naidu has claimed that the YSR Congress government in the state had been indulging in tapping phones of the opposition leaders, advocates, journalists and social activists. He accused Jagan of perpetrating a "jungle raj" on all sections of people in the state.

The TDP chief alleged that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was using an "illegal software" which, he said, in the future, can become a threat to national security.

The TDP chief said that the ruling party in Andhra and some private individuals were using sophisticated technology and illegal software to tap the phones belonging to the opposition leaders, advocates, journalists and social activists.

"This is in violation of the Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India that protect the fundamental rights of citizens. The ruling YSRCP is using illegal tactics to safeguard its power by intimidating and blackmailing the opponents and dissenting voices. These illegal activities are posing a serious threat to the right to privacy in the State," he said.

"It appears that the ruling YSRCP has now even targeted the judiciary, the third pillar of the democracy, as it is facing hurdles from the judiciary," Naidu said.

He brought to the notice of the PM that even private individuals were using cutting edge technology and equipment to unlawfully tap the phones. "If these nefarious activities were not put to an end, they would emerge as a bigger threat to national security and sovereignty of the country as a whole," he said.