BJP Denies Ministers Were 'Bugged', Fails To Silence Probe Demands

New Delhi: India's ruling BJP today denied reports that bugging devices were found in the homes of three of its top ministers - Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh - and rejected calls for an investigation even from its own party leader.

Opposition parties including the Congress have questioned the government's refusal to order a probe.

"We find this intriguing. Why is it that since this government has come to office, you have stories emanating that BJP or NDA ministers are being spied upon?," asked Congress leader Manish Tewari, adding, "Rather than using shoot and scoot tactics, why doesn't the government squarely come out with the information that it has? If at all it allegedly believes that the UPA was complicit in unlawful or illegal activity?"

CPI's D Raja said, "I think there should be a thorough investigation on the denial issued by Nitin Gadkari or Rajnath Singh."

A report in The Sunday Guardian - founded by senior journalist MJ Akbar who joined the BJP earlier this year - said "high power listening devices" were found recently in Mr Gadkari's bedroom at his Delhi residence. It also referenced the diplomatic row after leaked documents revealed that America's National Security Agency or NSA was authorised to spy on the BJP in 2010.

Sources say the homes of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home minister Rajnath Singh may also have been bugged.

BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli denied it. "One might not be surprised if there was an interest in gathering information on the BJP...but in terms of putting listening devices and eavesdropping systematically, that isn't right."

But another BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said yesterday, "My view is that the senior leadership of the BJP was definitely targeted by the NSA, and NSA can also include temporarily people from the CIA and therefore we need to know the truth."

In a snowballing row, a Congress leader even took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I come from Gujarat and it is commonplace to snoop there. It looks like the sutradhar(common link) has come to Delhi," said Shaktisinh Gohil, referring to alleged snooping scandals in Gujarat, the state Mr Modi ruled for 13 years till he took charge at the Centre.