New Delhi: Terming as a "big joke" the
"chewing gum theory" of the IB in the alleged bugging of
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's office, the BJP on Wednesday
demanded a thorough probe into the matter while asking whether
it was a result of "trust-deficit" among ministers.
"The allegation of spying at Pranab Mukherjee's office
is a serious matter. The Finance Minister himself may try to
dismiss it...he may be under some compulsions. But the country
wants to know," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma
Swaraj said.
While Sushma said, "the IB's chewing gum theory is a
big joke", BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said "the people of
the nation did not agree with IB's clean chit on the bugging
issue" and wanted the truth to come out.
Javadekar added that Congress was facing a trust
deficit all over. "While there is trust deficit between the
people and the government, there is trust deficit between the
Congress party and the government.
"A similar trust deficit was there between the people
and the Congress party, the government and civil society and
now amongst top echelons of power (ministers)".
Earlier, Swaraj said Mukherjee's complaint to the
Prime Minister in September regarding discovery of "planted
adhesives" at 16 places in North Block -- including his own
office, his adviser Omita Paul's room, his private secretary
Manoj Pant's office and two conference rooms -- should be
taken seriously.
"As far as the allegations are concerned, two questions
can be raised... whether the spying was being carried out by
the government itself against its Finance Minister or some
corporate house was doing it. In both the situations, it is a
serious issue," the BJP leader said.
With the Finance Minister now underplaying the "bugging"
issue, the BJP has posed a set of questions to him, asking
"Why he ordered a private investigation through CBDT, instead
of a probe from the agencies under the Home Ministry and what
were the findings of the CBDT investigations".
The BJP also sought to know from Mukherjee as to "why he
chose to write to the PM after the findings of the CBDT
investigations and why he is now backtracking and is terming
the issue as being nothing serious".
Javadekar said the nation was not satisfied with the
Finance Minister's U-turn on "such a serious issue" and
demanded a thorough probe.
He also sought to know from Mukherjee what was his
opinion on the "chewing gum theory" and "why no action was
taken on the machinery responsible for cleaning the so-called
chewing gums".
Slamming the IB, Sushma Swaraj said "if they give such a
childish argument and expect the country to believe that those
were chewing gums, people will laugh and ask from where did
such an intelligent chewing gum has come... (that) sticks
itself wherever it goes".
"Even Pranab must be knowing the difference between
adhesive and chewing gum. I demand the government should take
his letter seriously and conduct a thorough probe."
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 20:50