Girish Chodankar addressing a press conference in Panaji in the presence of Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo
Gomantak Times
As Goa awaits the results of the Assembly elections, the Congress has accused the BJP and state administration of tapping phones.
Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar said BJP is using private agency to tap phones of the Congress leaders, specifically alleging that the phones of former Ports Minister Michael Lobo and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat's phones were being tapped.
"We have confirmed information that our party leaders' phones are being tapped by a private agency hired by the BJP leaders. They know what we speak, they know whom our leaders are speaking to. They have hired an agency for this and our phones are being tapped by them," Chodankar alleged.
"An expert in this field came to meet me and told me that my phone is tapped. (Leader of opposition) Digambar Kamat's phone is being tapped, Michael Lobo's phone is being tapped. Such phone tapping is illegal. If this is legally being done, then the CM as Home Minister should tell us, whose permission have you sought to tap phones," he added.
Referring to allegations of phone tapping soon after the Assembly elections concluded in Karanataka, Chodankar said, "In Karnataka, after the government toppling it was revealed later that there was snooping involved. It happened in Maharashtra too,"
Chodankar also said that the right to privacy is a fundamental right and that no one has a right to illegally tap phones.
He said that independent candidates and even those from the BJP were in touch with the Congress party leadership over a possible switchover after the results.
"We are speaking to leaders from all parties. Many independent MLAs are speaking to us, we are telling the BJP leaders this openly. Many of your leaders are also in touch with us. They know that the BJP will not generate the numbers to form a government. They are already speaking to our leaders. You stop your leaders from talking to us if you can," Chodankar said.
He said Congress will file a formal complaint with the meet Director General of Police Indra Dev Shukla against the phone tapping of Congress leaders later on Thursday.