The BJP said Tuesday the "leak" of a CD ostensibly containing conversations of Himachal Pradesh health minister Kaul Singh Thakur had raised "doubts about the credibility" of the state's politicians and blamed Congress party leaders for the "unsavoury" episode.
In a joint statement, BJP vice-presidents Rajiv Sehgal, Rajiv Bhardwaj and Rama Sharma said: "It's a crime to snoop into someone's private life. It's sad Congress party leaders indulged in dirty politics to serve their vested interests. To ensure such incidents don't occur again the guilty should be booked."
The BJP leaders said even as the crime rate in the state was steadily rising the government had "chosen to use the police force to deal with political rivals". "This trend began when the Congress party came to power and is still continuing. In the past, too, the party indulged in shenanigans like engineered 'CD leaks'. Its leaders are responsible for vitiating the political atmosphere in the state, they said, referring to the "leak" of a politician's telephonic conversation in 1990.
Demanding a CBI probe into the matter, the BJP leaders said: "Some time ago an audio CD purportedly containing the voice of a female politician with an official was released. Later a CD allegedly containing a conversation of chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha was released by Vijay Singh Mankotia though the former rejected the claim. However, several laboratories later certified the voices in that CD were those of Virbhadra and his wife. Congress party leaders have also released a CD said to contain a conversation former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had with former director general of police DS Manhas, which was later proved to be a forgery."
{{/usCountry}}Demanding a CBI probe into the matter, the BJP leaders said: "Some time ago an audio CD purportedly containing the voice of a female politician with an official was released. Later a CD allegedly containing a conversation of chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha was released by Vijay Singh Mankotia though the former rejected the claim. However, several laboratories later certified the voices in that CD were those of Virbhadra and his wife. Congress party leaders have also released a CD said to contain a conversation former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had with former director general of police DS Manhas, which was later proved to be a forgery."
{{/usCountry}}"At a time when Thakur was the contender for the chief minister's office if Virbhadra was removed, a CD allegedly containing his conversation with a woman, a contractor and a few others was released. Earlier during the 2014 general elections a CD targeting former telecom minister Sukh Ram was released and an inquiry ordered by the government. It's evident Congress party leaders are good in settling political scores by conspiring against their opponents. An impartial probe should be conducted into the latest episode, otherwise there'll be no end to such controversies," the BJP leaders said.