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Himachal: BJP alleges illegal surveillance; false charge, says Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of large-scale phone tapping and illegal surveillance on opposition leaders, as well as its own ministers, as part of “vendetta politics

Published on: Aug 2, 2026, 08:53:37 IST
By , Shimla
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of large-scale phone tapping and illegal surveillance on opposition leaders, as well as its own ministers, as part of “vendetta politics.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of large-scale phone tapping and illegal surveillance on opposition leaders, as well as its own ministers, as part of “vendetta politics.” (HT Photo)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of large-scale phone tapping and illegal surveillance on opposition leaders, as well as its own ministers, as part of “vendetta politics.” (HT Photo)

However, the Congress termed the allegations “baseless” and called it their “fragments of imagination”.

Leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur alleged that police and vigilance machinery have been diverted from law enforcement to monitor political rivals.

“Phones of opposition leaders and their personal security officers are being tapped. Senior officers are engaged in political espionage late into the night while serious crimes rise across the state,” Thakur alleged.

The former chief minister claimed nearly a dozen sitting and former BJP legislators, along with local body representatives, face fabricated criminal cases meant to intimidate them.

“Cases are being concocted without evidence to malign our image. If returned to power, the BJP will review and withdraw all politically motivated charges and hold responsible officers accountable,” he warned.

Thakur also targeted the administration, claiming frequent bureaucratic transfers have crippled governance. He highlighted that the state lacks a permanent director general of police, operating under an interim chief contrary to Supreme Court guidelines, and cited the recent transfer or suspension of over 50 police personnel.

He urged Sukhu to focus on development as his government approaches four years in office.

Cong hits back

Hitting back, chief minister’s principal media advisor Naresh Chauhan said, “The claims made by Jai Ram Thakur are baseless and mere fragments of imagination.” Chauhan challenged the former chief minister to provide proof of the allegations. “The allegations are absolutely false. If he is aware of any such incident, he should provide proof instead of indulging in rhetorics for political survival.”