"No Bugs", says Nitin Gadkari; But Cong seeks probe

Updated: Monday, July 28, 2014, 13:09 [IST]

New Delhi, July 28: The transport minister Nitin Gadkari had dismissed the presence of any listening devices in his official residence, saying that the media claims were speculative.

According to The Sunday Guardian, high-power listening devices were accidentally found in his residence, raising suspicion in the political circuit. Congress, especially is hell bent on Gadkari and the government coming out clear on it.

Inside sources also say that the type of devices that have been used indicate US interference.

However, a very close aid to Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, which is BJP's ideological parent said that no such things were found at Gadkari's place.

The home minister official also reiterated that the Intelligence Bureau did not have any such information. The IB regularly sweeps offices of ministers who handle sensitive ministries at their request. But as far as residences are concerned, I don't think the IB has conducted such an exercise," he further added.

The fact that BJP is among the top six global political parties that US' top spy agency the National Security Agency was authorised to conduct surveillance on by an American court in 2010, cannot be ignored.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said,"It's time that both Gadkari and also the BJP and government come clean on the issue," he said, adding if indeed the minister was spied on, at whose instance was it done?"

The Congress government had faced a similar situation in 2010. Pranab Mukherjee, the then finance minister had complained that bugs may have been placed in his office.

BJP had claimed that bugging had its roots in the rivalry between the two ministers.