Amid uproar over the issue of telephone tapping of senior political leaders, the Government today rubbished the charge in Parliament that it had authorised any such action.

"I wish to state categorically that no telephone tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders was authorised by the previous UPA government. Nor has the present UPA government authorised any such activity," Home Minister P Chidambaram said in Lok Sabha.

He said the report in 'Outlook' magazine on phone tapping was thoroughly enquired into and "nothing has been found in the records of the NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) to substantiate the allegations."

While Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 1200 noon soon after assembling for the day following opposition uproar on the issue, the Upper House was again adjourned till 1230 hours and the Lower House till 1400 hours on the issue.

"Further enquiries are being made into the allegations in the magazine. If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies," the Home Minister said.

The news weekly has alleged in an article that the phones of Union Minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been tapped.

In the Rajya Sabha, opposition BJP vehemently demanded setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee, with senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu demanding that the Prime Minister should make a statement on the matter.

When Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan said the Home Minister could make a statement on the issue, Naidu said, "It is a very serious issue. The phones of not only cabinet ministers, but Chief Ministers and political leaders are being tapped."

The House was adjourned amid unabated slogan-shouting to demand setting up of JPC.

In the Lok Sabha, the Home Minister, who made the statement when the opposition members stormed the well raising slogans on the issue as also on the IPL controversy, said at the outset that government has seen the allegations against the NTRO.

"It is a technical organisation of the government....The organisation was notified on April 15, 2004," he said.

Asserting that intelligence agencies functioned within the law, he said they are "fully accountable" to the government.

Under the Telegraph Act and the IT Act, each case of monitoring of telephones or electronic communications has to be approved by the Union Home Secretary personally and is subject to review by an oversight committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

Oppn mounts pressure on government on phone tapping

(PTI) A united Opposition in the Rajya Sabha today sought to corner the government over allegations of telephone tapping of ministers and senior political leaders, stalling proceedings of the Upper House.

Members from the BJP, Left, AIADMK, JD(U) and SP did not allow Question Hour and legislative business in the house, shouting slogans and seeking response from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the controversy.

When the House met at 1230 pm after two adjournments, Home Minister P Chidambaram read out a statement, amidst din by Opposition, saying the allegations of telephone tapping are not found to be substantiated.

The main Opposition BJP demanded a probe by the Joint Parliamentary Committee into the allegations and shouted slogans.

However, members of BSP, which appears to be with the government over Opposition sponsored cut motions on the Finance Bill, remained seated.

Judging the unrelenting mood of the Opposition parties, Deputy Chairman K Rehman Khan, adjourned the House for the day after it witnessed uproar for a few minutes.

The BJP, which gave a notice for suspension of Question Hour, began to protest immediately after nominated member B Jayashree took oath when the House met for the day.

Chairman Hamid Ansari said the Government would make a statement and pleaded with the Opposition parties to allow the Question Hour to proceed. However, he was forced to adjourn the proceedings till noon.

Similar scenes of protests were seen when the House reassembled. Senior BJP leader M Venkiah Naidu said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should make a statement as the issue is very serious.

"Telephones of cabinet ministers, chief ministers and political leaders are being tapped....What is happening to the country," he said.

After the House saw stalling of proceedings twice till 1230 PM, Deputy Chairman adjourned it for the day.

Previous reports

The issue of tapping of telephones of senior politicians created uproar in parliament today with both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha adjourning till noon soon after assembling for the day.

Question Hour was stalled in both Houses when Opposition members were on their feet protesting against alleged tapping of phones by the government and wanted immediate clarification.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani, who was allowed by Speaker Meira Kumar to speak, said nothing less than statement from the Prime Minister on the issue would be acceptable.

Advani recalled a press conference held on June 25, 1985 to mark 10 years of Emergency in which Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke about phone tapping of leaders like Chandrashekhar, Jagjivan Ram, Charan Singh and journalists like Kuldeep Nayyar and Arun Shourie.

He demanded that a law should be passed to prevent the government from tapping phones.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal assured the House that Home Minister P Chidambaram would make a statement on the issue at 12 noon.

The Speaker said other members would be allowed to speak after the statement. When this did not pacify the members, Kumar adjourned the House till noon.

In the Rajya Sabha, a united Opposition forced adjournment of the House till noon over the issue.

Soon after nominated member B Jayashree took oath, the entire opposition benches led by BJP and Left parties raised the issue.

S S Ahluwalia (BJP) said a notice for suspension of Question Hour has been given even as his colleagues shouted slogans condemning the alleged act.

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said, "Members have raised some issues... notices have been received. The Government will make a statement after the Question Hour."

This, however, did not satisfy the opposition members who continued to raise the issue.

Chairman Hamid Ansari said the Government will make a statement and requested them to allow Question Hour to proceed.

"All discussions will be at the appropriate time. This is Question Hour... Please allow Question Hour to proceed," he pleaded but the Opposition benches were unrelenting.

Minutes into the din, Ansari adjourned the House till 12 noon.

RS adjourns till noon over phone tapping issue
(PTI) A united Opposition today forced adjournment of the Rajya Sabha till noon over the alleged tapping of telephones of some senior politicians by the Government.

Soon after nominated member B Jayashree took oath, the entire opposition led by BJP and Left parties were up on their feet raising the issue.

S S Ahluwalia (BJP) said a notice for suspension of Question Hour has been given even as his colleagues shouted slogans condemning the alleged act.

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said, "Members have raised some issues... notices have been received. The Government will make a statement after the Question Hour."

This, however, did not satisfy the opposition members who continued to raise the issue.

Chairman Hamid Ansari said the Government will make a statement and pleaded with them to allow the Question Hour to proceed.

"All discussions will be at the appropriate time. This is Question Hour... Please allow the Question Hour to proceed," he pleaded but the Opposition benches were unrelenting.

Minutes into the din, Ansari adjourned the House till 12 noon.