Rajasthan: BJP issues notice to its own minister over phone tapping allegations
Kirodi Lal Meena had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state of snooping on him.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday issued a notice to Rajasthan minister Kirodi Lal Meena who has accused the state government of spying on him, The Indian Express reported.
The Hindutva party in its notice to Meena said that his comments had “tarnished the reputation of the BJP and the BJP-led government in Rajasthan” and gave the minister three days to respond.
While speaking at an event near Jaipur on Thursday, the Sawai Madhopur MLA and agriculture minister accused the BJP government in the state of spying on him.
“Just like during the tenure of the last government, CID [Criminal Investigation Department] is everywhere, my telephone is also recorded,” Meena was heard purportedly saying in a video widely shared online. “But I don’t do anything wrong and that’s why I don’t get afraid or bend down or break.”
The date when the video was recorded was not clear.
Meena is a six-time MLA and a former MP.
Jaipur, Rajasthan: Minister Kirodi Lal Meena says, "We had said that when our government comes, we will rein in the corrupt, and those who eat with their mouths will be expelled through their noses. I did many movements to bring the government, but my concerns were not heard. I… pic.twitter.com/7suogHpedV
— IANS (@ians_india) February 7, 2025
Meena claimed that he was targeted after he sought the cancellation of the sub-inspector recruitment exams in 2021 over paper leak allegations. The exam was conducted under the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government at the time.
In the notice issued to Meena on Monday, BJP state chief Madan Rathore said that the minister’s public statement about the alleged phone tapping “is untrue”, The Indian Express reported.
“Your … statement has been considered by the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party as indiscipline according to the party’s Constitution,” the notice added. “This ‘show cause notice’ is being sent to you on the direction of the national president of the BJP.”
The Rajasthan Assembly erupted in chaos over the matter on Friday with leaders of the Opposition Congress wearing black bands, shouting slogans and demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, The Wire reported.
“Chief minister, this is true that till yesterday we were thinking of you as a bhola aadmi [innocent person] but we got to know today that you have an interest in spying and phone tapping,” said Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully. “If this is your attitude towards your own Cabinet minister, then what will happen to common citizens who disagree with you? It seems you don’t have trust in democracy.”
Meena was absent from the Assembly’s Budget Session after requesting exemption on health grounds.
