Bogus, says FM; BJP dismisses ‘gum theory’

New Delhi: Despite the dismissal by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee of charges that his office had been bugged, rumours continued to swirl in the capital’s political corridors of a major security breach, with the BJP continuing to insist it had the making of “India’s Watergate” and needed a thorough probe. “It’s bogus. Don’t waste your time on this,” an irritated Mukherjee told reporters outside his North Block office, a day after the Indian Express reported that the minister told Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh about a “serious breach of security” in his office last year. Mukherjee had reportedly demanded a secret inquiry into the alleged planting of “adhesives” at 16 key locations in his office, suggesting that there was a possible surveillance attempt.
On Tuesday, Mukherjee, the number two in the government, had said that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had investigated the matter and “they found there is nothing”.
But the Opposition was not satisfied. Calling it “India’s Watergate”, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the IB’s reported argument that the adhesives found in Mukherjee’s office were chewing gums was a joke and shocking.
In her tweet on Tuesday night, she said: “In either case it is a matter of grave concern. It is India’s Watergate and needs to be thoroughly investigated.”
She was referring to the Watergate scandal, which unravelled in early 1970 following a break-in to plant bugs at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, which governs the day-to-day working of the Democratic party. The scandal ultimately led to the resignation of then president Richard Nixon.
“There are two questions in this incident — whether the spying was being done by the government itself or some corporate house was getting it done.
“If the government was doing this, it is an example of the growing mistrust between the ministers in the government. And if it was being done by a corporate house, it is a big lapse in security cordon,” she added. (IANS)