BJP’s only grievance is why tapes were recorded: Congress

Soon after the BJP on Saturday demanded a CBI probe into the alleged phone tapping of the political leaders in Rajasthan, the Congress hit back saying that the BJP has accepted that it was behind the political crisis and their only grievance is why tapes were recorded.

Addressing a virtual press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "We all witnessed in the last one week the daylight murder of democracy being attempted by the BJP in Rajasthan."

He alleged that everyone has now seen the layers coming out "exposing direct links" of the BJP in fomenting political crisis in Rajasthan and trying to admit its role in the murder of democracy. Khera said, "Their only grievance is why the tapes were recorded. Was it legal?"

Citing an example, Khera said, "It's like a murderer saying that a witness, who saw the murder being committed and went to police to complain, violated the privacy."

Slamming the BJP, he said, "The entire shamelessness of this admission is very shocking, they are not worried about the fact that they were caught red handed but they are worried that they were being recorded and now they are raising questions about its legality."

Khera's remarks came shortly after BJP's Sambit Patra in a press conference denied allegations of horse trading in Rajasthan.

Patra also alleged that the desert state was witnessing an "indirect emergency" and demanded a CBI probe into the phone tapping matter, to ascertain whether it was done or SOPs were followed.

Referring to the FIR lodged by the Rajasthan's SOG to probe horse trading in the state, Khera said that a case was lodged on the basis of some audio tapes of purported conversation of BJP leaders. He further said that a team of SOG went to Haryana's Manesar on Friday night to collect the voice samples of ministers and MLAs heard in these tapes. "But for the first time in the history, the police of another state blocked the Rajasthan SOG team from collecting the voice samples and quietly ensured that all the MLAs escaped from the back door of the hotel," he said.

Firing salvos at Sachin Pilot, who was sacked as Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress chief three days ago, Khera asked, "What is the reason that Pilot trusts Haryana Police more than Rajasthan Police? On one hand celebrated lawyer close to the BJP are trying to prove in the court of law that Pilot and MLAs are part of the Congress. "While on other hand, these MLAs take protection from Haryana Police and under that protection they escape from Rajasthan Police who had gone to take the voice samples," he said.