New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday distanced
itself from its general secretary Digvijay Singh's statement
seeking an inquiry into the alleged bugging of Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's office.
"After clarification of Pranab Mukherjee, nothing more
needs to be said," AICC Media Department chairman Janardan
Dwivedi said, signalling that partymen should not air their
views on the issue which the opposition has turned into a
political row.
Dwivedi's reaction came hours after Singh told a TV
channel that the matter needs to be inquired into.
"I was literally surprised that Finance Minister's
office may be tapped, may be bugged. This is something which
is unheard of and I think the Government should take a sort of
view on this and should inquire into who is responsible," he
told news a channel.
He was asked whether he was "appalled" to read about
the suspected tapping of the Finance Minister's office in the
backdrop of indications that 'all is not well' inside the
Congress and the UPA.
Asked whether the issue was a shame on the government,
he remarked, "Until and unless you know who has done it, how
can you sort of say anything like that."
"Naturally, yes," he responded when asked whether the
issue needed to be investigated.
Dwivedi said Singh told him that he had suggested in
the television interview that if such a thing like bugging had
happened, it will be inquired into.
The Finance Minister had already clarified that the IB
has found nothing and the whole thing is bogus.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni also
insisted today that there was no bugging of Finance Minister's
office, saying the whole thing is "bogus" and the matter
should be closed now.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 21:22