JOIN USThe Congress’s campaign on Rahul Gandhi being “snooped” seeks to build up the Opposition to the Narendra Modi government in the aftermath of former prime minister Manmohan Singh being summoned in coal scam case as an accused.
Though the Delhi Police visited Rahul’s residence about 10 days ago, the Congress decided to go on the offensive against the Modi government only after a special CBI court issued summons to Singh in the coal block allocation scam.
The Congress is desperately seeking to revive its sagging fortunes after a series of electoral losses. The Centre’s decision to amend the land acquisition law through an ordinance was one such issue it grabbed and launched nationwide agitations against the Modi government.
Almost 25 years ago, Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi had accused the then prime minister Chandrashekhar of mounting surveillance on his activities. The charges levelled by the Congress had triggered a political uproar and subsequently led to the fall of the Chandrashekhar-led government. The Congress had bounced back after the controversy and performed well in the elections held a couple of months later. On Tuesday, the Congress was clear that it would garner support of other Opposition parties on “snooping” over Rahul’s activities.
“There are other details we have and today is not the last day when you will hear of this,” AICC spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.
He claimed that the “surveillance” was not limited to political opponents. “We are told, large number of tales about judges, journalists and private persons,” Singhvi said.
In the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had accused Modi of mounting surveillance on a woman architect in Gujarat. The snoopgate scandal, as it came to be known, was used by the Congress to target Modi, who was then the prime ministerial candidate. The “snooping” of Rahul comes at a time when he is on leave and is expected to return to Delhi by March end.
The Congress has maintained that Rahul is “abroad for introspection and soul searching before starting a new journey in his life.” The timing of Rahul’s sabbatical had triggered a controversy and he had proceeded on leave on the eve of the Budget session.