Govt in a flap over Tata tapes, orders probe

On October 4 and October 5, The Indian Express carried excerpts of conversations between Ratan Tata, Nusli Wadia, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and Rajya Sabha MP Jayant Malhoutra suggesting high-powered lobbying in which even top bureaucrats were roped in. Incidentally, Malhoutra today sent a letter to Communications Minister Beni Prasad Verma asking him to probe how his phone was “tapped”.

Today’s official announcement came after a meeting of senior officials from the Home Ministry and the Department of Telecommunications. The Ministry said that from the reports, it appeared that telephones had been tapped; this was an offence under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the inquiry would find out “how the interception has taken place”.

Congress MP and former Minister for Internal Security Rajesh Pilot said the revelations were startling and the government needed to order a comprehensive inquiry into all aspects of the revelations to clear the air. He said he did not support phone-tapping unless it was done in the interest of national security.

But he said it was also necessary that while citizens had their freedoms they also fulfilled their nationalistic responsibilities and were not caught up in doing anything to the contrary. Pilot, who has dealt with the North-East extensively as a minister and Congress campaigner, said the situation in Assam is extremely sensitive and the state and the Central governments as well as the corporate sector have to understand that.

The revelations also confirm, Pilot said, that this confusion has arisen because coordination between the Centre and the State is not at all effective and it is a situation that demands a better coordinated effort and transparent functioning. The UF government must get its act together since the matter has serious implications for national security, he said.

Meanwhile, in a press release, the Confederation of Indian Industry said phone tapping was an invasion of privacy and would have an adverse effect on the “psyche of the corporates”. CII condemned the breakdown of the law and order machinery in “several parts of the country” and said the Government should focus on enforcing the law. Instead, it said, the Government’s inaction was resulting in further erosion of confidence.

As for the Congress, it, too, declined to comment on the revelations. Saying that the party’s support to the Tatas would continue, spokesman V N Gadgil said that tapping should not be permitted.

In the past, the Congress had supported the Tatas’ concept of political funding wherein they said a fund should be created for helping parties contesting elections.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta today stressed the need for “serious effort” to tackle the insurgency problem confronting the state.

Addressing a conference of deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) on law and order here, Mahanta said the situation in the state was not that of a general law and order problem but that of insurgency, so there was a need for “serious efforts” to bring about lasting peace and progress in the state.

The Chief Minister urged DCs and SPs to gear up their efforts for checking insurgency and to tone up the district administration at all levels.

He urged them to visit police stations and development blocks regularly and supervise the activities and ensure that no public money meant for development was extorted by extremists.

Mahanta pointed out that checking insurgency and developmental process must be carried out simultaneously and the district administration must strive to build up people’s confidence for weaning away ultras from the society.

The Assam Police must be a effective force and the Centre had decided to reimburse the security related expenditure to the state and clear funds for modernisation of the police force. State Chief Secretary Virendra Singh Jaffa urged the DCs and the SPs to make a coordinated effort to check insurgency, protect life and property, tighten security measures and plug loopholes in the administration.

Jaffa urged the officers to take immediate steps for early recovery of all outstanding loans given to beneficiaries by various developmental departments and laid stress on enhanced revenue collection, speedy disposal of cases and check corruption. State Director General of Police K Hrishikeshan exhorted the officers to carry forward the gains achieved by zeal and determination.

Gogoi remanded to 14 days’ custody

Senior Tata Tea Executive, Dr Brajen Gogoi, was today remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate S P More.

The CJM also ordered that Gogoi, Tata Tea’s community development officer, be treated regularly by doctors in view of his ill health and a report be submitted. The police had sought extension of the police custody for Gogoi arrested for alleged involvement with the ULFA. Earlier on October 2, the Kamrup District Special Judicial Magistrate had remanded Gogoi to four days’ police custody. Gogoi was arrested on September 24 last.