Nagpur: The opposition on Thursday staged a walkout voicing against the rejection of a discussion under rule 57 given by Congress legislator Nana Patole with regard to the closure report filed by Pune police in an alleged phone tapping case against senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla. After the Speaker Rahul Narwekar announced that he had rejected Patole’s notice as it came quite late, Patole insisted that he should be given a chance as the matter is serious as he has been the victim of the phone tapping.
Narwekar allowed Patole to speak when he questioned the Pune police’s move to file a closure report. ‘’The discussion should take place as the phone tapping issue is quite serious. It was ordered by the BJP led government against me and others. I am the victim of the phone tapping,’’ he added.
However, the Speaker reiterated that he has denied his notice while allowing him to express their views. He said that Patole can take up the issue with the Privileges Committee and see that he gets the justice.
Patole along with Congress legislators entered in the well demanding discussion. But the Speaker announced the question hour to proceed.
Congress legislators were joined by NCP and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray demanding discussion on phone tapping.
Thereafter, the leader of opposition Ajit Pawar intervened saying that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla illegally tapped the phones of many dignitaries including members of the legislature during the BJP government. This has hampered the independence of the members of the legislature and has created a threat to democracy. ‘’Who is the mastermind of this phone tapping case? By whose order was this phone tapping done? Now who is trying to save Rashmi Shukla?’’he asked. He demanded that the information in this regard should be brought before the house.
‘’IPS' officer Rashmi Shukla had tapped phones of Congress state president and member of this house Nana Patole, former minister Bachu Kadu, former MP Sanjay Kakade, former MLA Ashish Deshmukh, MP Sanjay Raut, former minister and current Legislative Council member Eknath Khadse. The phones were illegally tapped,’’ said Pawar. He however, told the house that Maha Vikas Aghadi government did not order phone tapping against opposition.
‘’During the MVA government, a high-level committee was appointed to investigate the phone tapping by Shukla. Based on the probe report, a case was registered at Bund Garden Police Station, Pune and a charge sheet of 750 pages has also been filed. What is the exact reason behind saving Rashmi Shukla? On whose order was Rashmi Shukla tapping the phone? Who is the mastermind?’’he asked.
