Whose phones are being tapped? Reveal names, says Rajasthan minister as Pilot loyalists complain

Congress MLA Ved Prakash Solanki, who belongs to Sachin Pilot camp, said some Congress MLAs have talked about phone tapping. He also added that he was not sure whether his phone was being tapped or not.

As the Ashok Gehlot government is again facing the old allegations of tapping the phones of its MLAs, Rajashthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Sunday said those who are raising these allegations should reveal the names of those MLAs whose phone are being 'tapped'. They should speak to the chief minister instead of passing the buck to other MLAs who presumably said their phones ar being tapped. The comment comes as Congress MLA Ved Prakash Solanki, who belongs to Sachin Pilot camp, said some Congress MLAs talked about phone tapping. He also added that he was not sure whether his phone was being tapped or not.

The phone tapping issue resurfaces in Rajasthan as Sachin Pilot loyalist Ved Prakash Solanki some Congress MLAs have complained that their calls are being tapped. (PTI)

"Rajasthan govt doesn't tap anyone's phone, that's not our character. If an MLA says that his phone is not tapped but mentions other MLAs who say that their phones have been tapped, then he should reveal those names and speak to the CM," the minister said.

Solanki said some MLAs have already informed Gehlot about phone tapping. "I do not know if my phone is being tapped or not. Some legislators have told me that their phones are being tapped. I am also not aware if the state government is involved in phone tapping. Many officials told them (legislators) that it seems that there are efforts underway to trap them," Solanki said.

The charges of phone tapping against the Congress government in Rajasthan is not new as this was one of the points the rebel camp, led by Sachin Pilot, highlighted in July last year. The government at that time gave some audio clips to the Rajasthan Police for an investigation into whether these MLAs were hatching any plan against the government. The case was closed after the issue between the Pilot camp and Gehlot was resolved after the intervention of the Congress high command.

Amid rumours of Sachin Pilot joining the BJP, which the Congress leader vehemently rubbished, Pilot is likely to meet Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi to push for the demands that have not been fulfilled in the last 10 months after the patch up of the two warring camps in Rajasthan Congress.

(With agency inputs)