Jaipur:Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirordi Lal Meena on Wednesday said he has replied to the show cause notice issued by the BJP's state unit president Madan Rathore in regard to his allegation of his phone being tapped.
Meena's statement, which triggered a political stir, has left Congress slamming the BJP-government in the Assembly. Congress leader Sachin Pilot has demanded an impartial investigation saying, since a minister is saying that his phone is being tapped it needs to be probed. Had this been said by the Opposition, then BJP would have refuted it as a politically motivated statement, he added.
Speaking to reporters after attending a programme in Jaipur, Meena said he would not elaborate on the contents of his letter as it would amount to indiscipline but added that he has accepted his mistake. "If discipline is flouted then party president has the right to take action. I have responded about my mistake in the letter," he said.
He said, "I have always worked for the party and is a disciplined soldier. This is why I was given a ticket and became an MLA and a minister."
On speculations of Meena's displeasure against the party, he clarified that he is not at all offended but is unable to attend the Assembly session due to his illness. He said that once he recovers he will attend Assembly sessions.
When asked about his opinion on the show cause notice, Meena said, "I will not tell what I have written in my letter. I have no resentment. If there was any resentment, I would not smile. If discipline is flouted then it is the right of the state president to seek response. If he is not satisfied with my answer, he can take action".
On Monday, Rathore had sent a show cause notice to Meena citing indiscipline, saying his statement on phone tapping had tarnished the government's image. Meena was asked to reply within three days. Meena had alleged that his telephone conversations were been tapped at a public event at Amagarh temple near Jaipur last week.
Earlier in the day, talking to reporters at his residence, Pilot said if any politician, member of any party, official or police officer has done anything wrong, then truth should come out. "Every mistake demands punishment. If someone commits a mistake, he/she should be punished," he said.
On the phone tapping allegation during Congress regime, he said, the matter is pending in the court and truth will be revealed.
"A minister has stated on a public platform that his phone is being tapped. No government can violate the privacy of a citizen. The government is not giving an answer even though a minister has made such a statement. A minister is the representative of the government. In a way, the government itself is speaking about phone tapping," he said.
Slamming the BJP for issuing a show cause notice to Meena, Pilot said when the minister is saying that his phone has been tapped, his party serves him notice and seeks his response. "This is an internal matter of BJP and it can give notice or take action against anyone. But since a minister has claimed that he has evidence of his phone being tapped, the government should answer in the House. The whole country wants to know to know the truth," Pilot said.
"This is a very serious allegation. If the opposition makes such allegations then it can be understood, but here it is a minister. However, instead of taking necessary action, the government is serving him notice, citing indiscipline," he added.
On the other hand, Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham said that Congress leader Sachin Pilot has probably forgotten that during the Congress rule, he himself was locked in a hotel and was also humiliated. An MLA from his group had even come out in front of the press and said that his phone was being tapped, he said. At that time, Congress leaders were attacking their own government and the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, but later were seen hugging each other, Bedham said.
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