US carrying out surveillance over India: CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI: CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta today claimed that the United States was carrying out surveillance over India which amounted to "serious infringement" of its political sovereignty and intrusion of privacy.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dasgupta said the US action was an "onslaught" on India's sovereignty and posed a serious hazard to its national security.

He claimed that US agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), were monitoring phone calls, internet and taking images of all activities in the country.

"They have a post or a pillar, a mechanism to know even what (Finance Minister) P Chidambaram is talking to the Prime Minister," he said, adding jocularly: "Be careful when you are talking to your girl friend."

Dasgupta said the list of the countries which were under American surveillance started with Brazil, Egypt and then India.

"This is a serious infringement of our sovereignty, serious intrusion in privacy and a serious security hazard," the CPI leader said.

He said the US "cannot be allowed to be the guardian of the world. The entire House should condemn this and we demand an immediate statement on the issue from the government."