Focus on governance, don't harass Rahul Gandhi: Sanjay Nirupam to BJP government

MUMBAI: Terming Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's profiling as the "biggest espionage scandal in the history of independent India", the Opposition party today alleged the Modi Government has deviated from its agenda of development.

"In the name of security, Delhi Police are snooping (on Rahul) at the behest of the (NDA) Government. This is in itself a huge crime. This is a democracy. The Government can't behave like a dictator," Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said.

He was speaking to reporters while taking part in a "rasta roko" organised by Congress to protest alleged snooping on the 44-year-old Amethi MP by the BJP-led Government.

"The Government has no business to harass an Opposition leader. We will keep protesting till the Government apologises for its act," the Mumbai Congress chief said.

The former MP from Mumbai said the current episode only lends credence to the stories about a Gujarat resident being put under surveillance by the BJP Government in the adjoining state.

"Both incidents are examples of what the current Government's priorities are. This incident (involving Rahul) only shows Gujarat snooping stories were true.

"Please come out with a governance narrative. You are the architect of the biggest espionage scandal in the history of independent India," he said.

The people of the country have a liberal mindset but the BJP is killing democracy with its dictatorial approach, the Congress leader maintained.

Asked about Congress' stand on the Mumbai Metro-3, he said it is a classic case of mismanagement and bad governance.

"We are not against development but it cannot happen at the cost of human lives and natural habitat. We are already suffering from climatic change. Why trouble us more?"

The Phase 3 of Metro has run into a controversy as it involves demolition of over two dozen buildings in an area with sizable Maharashtrian population and also cutting of a large number of trees.