New Delhi, Jun 23 : Congress today distanced itself from its general secretary Digvijay Singh's statement seeking an inquiry into the alleged bugging of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's office.
“After clarification of Pranab Mukherjee, nothing more needs to be said,” AICC Media Department chairman Janardan Dwivedi said, signalling that partymen should not air their views on the issue which the opposition has turned into a political row.
Dwivedi's reaction came hours after Singh told a TV channel that the matter needs to be inquired into. “I was literally surprised that Finance Minister's office may be tapped, may be bugged. This is something which is unheard of and I think the Government should take a sort of view on this and should inquire into who is responsible,” he told a news channel.
He was asked whether he was “appalled” to read about the suspected tapping of the Finance Minister's office in the backdrop of indications that ‘all is not well' inside the Congress and the UPA.
Asked whether the issue was a shame on the government, he remarked, “Until and unless you know who has done it, how can you sort of say anything like that.” “Naturally, yes,” he responded when asked whether the issue needed to be investigated.
Dwivedi said Singh told him that he had suggested in the television interview that if such a thing like bugging had happened, it will be inquired into.
The Finance Minister had already clarified that the IB has found nothing and the whole thing is bogus.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni also insisted today that there was no bugging of Finance Minister's office, saying the whole thing is “bogus” and the matter should be closed now. PTI
