The Hindu : New Delhi News : My phone under surveillance: Sushma

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Friday, Jul 13, 2007
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New Delhi

My phone under surveillance: Sushma

Special Correspondent

S.S. Ahluwalia of BJP and Digvijay Singh of JD-U have similar complaints

Three leaders will write to Union Telecommunication Minister
Dasmunsi’s charge against Shekhawat “misusing” his office for campaigning refuted

NEW DELHI: NDA-backed Independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s spokesperson Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday alleged that the telephones of their key strategists were being “tapped.” She and other affected leaders would seek the intervention of the Election Commission in the matter.

Addressing mediapersons here, Ms. Swaraj claimed that for the last one week her phone was under “surveillance.”

She also claimed that she was unable to connect her mobile to her home phones because of failed connections and that on several occasions she was connected to the police control room when she called her residence. “Why is my residential phone connected to the police control room,” she asked.

Ms. Swaraj claimed that Rajya Sabha members S.S. Ahluwalia (BJP) and Digvijay Singh (JD-U), both key strategists of Mr. Shekhawat’s campaign, were facing similar situation for the last one week.

“The most crucial element in any election is the confidentiality of the strategy. Other than tapping, attempts are being made to frustrate our communication and disturb our confidentiality. This is an obstacle in a free and fair election,” she claimed. The three leaders would write to the Telecommunication Minister and the MTNL chief.

Asked whether Mr. Shekhawat also felt that his phones were being tapped, she said he had not said so.

She said the allegation of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Mr. Shekhawat “misusing” his office for campaigning showed the desperation of the Congress.

“Mr. Shekhawat has neither travelled to any part of the country nor used any of the official machinery for campaigning,” she said.

She maintained that the NDA-backed candidate had no links with any of BJP’s strident campaign against UPA-Left presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, such as the launch of a website on her. “He has always said that he will not join any such campaign.”

On when Mr. Shekhawat would declare his assets, she said, “As soon as he is ready.”

Asked for her comments on the absence of several “rebel” BJP MLAs during her recent campaign meeting in Gujarat, she said Keshubhai Patel (who is seen as a detractor of Chief Minister Narendra Modi), had assured full support for Mr. Shekhawat.

Ms. Swaraj declined to comment on an article in the latest issue of Outlook magazine that suggested that Mr. Shekhawat was suspended from police service. “The contents of that article are similar to the ones raised by a Rajas than NGO, to which we have already responded. There is no need to reply to that again,” she said.

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