E-Paper
BJP's Diya Kumari calls for probe into explosive ‘Gehlot spying on Pilot’ claim
Outgoing Rajasthan CM's OSD alleged that the then deputy CM Sachin Pilot's movements and phone were tracked and monitored by the Gehlot government in 2020.
Newly elected BJP MLA Diya Kumari on Wednesday called for a thorough investigation into explosive claims made by Lokesh Sharma, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the outgoing Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
Sharma on Tuesday claimed that the Congress government in the state had been monitoring the movements of senior party leader Sachin Pilot, including tapping his phone during a critical political crisis in 2020.
"This is a huge allegation. If the OSD has said that, then definitely there must be some truth. It should be investigated... If he has done that, it is illegal," said Diya Kumari, one of the contenders for the chief ministerial post, in response to the startling revelation.
Sharma, speaking to ANI, claimed, "During the political crisis in Rajasthan, when Sachin Pilot had gone to Manesar with 18 MLAs, it is natural that the state government tracks the movement in such cases. So, the state government was keeping track of Sachin Pilot and the people he was meeting. Sachin Pilot was being monitored on where he was going, and who he was talking to on the phone so that corrective measures could be taken."
He further claimed that the monitoring was carried out on the instructions of Ashok Gehlot to safeguard the Congress government in the state. "It was because of the monitoring that we could bring some people back. He was also being chased, and all his movements were tracked. I believe Sachin Pilot was aware of this and that he is being monitored," Sharma added.
Sharma, who was denied a ticket to contest the Rajasthan assembly polls and has been criticising Gehlot for the party's defeat in the elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi hit out at Sharma for not speaking up earlier saying he is “not a well-wisher”.
“Lokesh Sharma was with Ashok Gehlot for 5 years. He took part in all the meetings and events. Is he seeing all the deficiencies only after the defeat? Couldn't he speak up earlier? This shows that he is not a well-wisher,” Chaturvedi said as she for introspection within the Congress party.
“But yes, there are a few issues that need to be discussed within the Congress party. The party should introspect that the two senior leaders were in a dispute earlier too - so how it should be resolved.”
