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Sonia can't do this: Kalyan

Former U.P. Chief Minister defends the Congress Chief on the phone-tapping issue

LUCKNOW: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Kalyan Singh on Thursday came out in defence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the phone-tapping issue and said she was "too mature" a leader to indulge in such activities.

Rejecting the allegation of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh that the phone of the latter was tapped at behest of Ms Gandhi, the BJP leader maintained: "Sonia Gandhi cannot do this."

Over the years, "She (Sonia) has matured as a politician and given all her maturity, this was not expected of her," he told reporters in a chat on the occasion of his 78th birthday.

"Congress mein waise kai tikdami log hain jo aisa kar sakte hain lekin Sonia Gandhi nahi kar sakti hain (There are many manipulators in the Congress who can indulge in such tactics, but definitely not Ms Gandhi)," the Bharatiya Janata Party national vice- president said.

His statement came at the time when Mr Yadav and Mr Amar Singh had openly alleged that the phone of the SP general secretary was tapped on a clear direction from 10, Janpath, the official residence of the Congress president.

He, however, criticised the act saying it was an attack on one's personal life and could never be defended. "Phone tapping should be condemned by all," he said. In reply to a question, he said now the secret was out that the phone of Amar Singh was tapped by the Reliance Infocomm, the company of his own friend (Anil Amabani). -- UNI

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