Saamana Foreword On BJP : 'Silence! Phone tapping is in progress!' Criticism of BJP from Saamana's editorial

Shiv Sena Thackeray faction's MP Sanjay Raut, while speaking at a press conference, made a strong demand to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that a case should be filed against Chandrashekhar Bawankule regarding phone tapping. Commentary has been made in Saamana regarding the issue of opposition party's phone tapping. Let's see what exactly has been said in Saamana..

But if only BJP people are being kept under surveillance through phone tapping, then it should be accepted that the dictator is scared. These are the avatars of a progressive state like Maharashtra. Maharashtra has become a hub of all kinds of illegal activities and scams. Fake courts, fake ED, and CBI teams were created in Gujarat. Then how can Maharashtra lag behind? It has gone ahead of Gujarat. Action should be taken against Chandrashekhar Bawankule as per the provisions of the India Telegraph Act.

BJP leader and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that the key officials of BJP are under our surveillance. Bawankule clearly explained what this surveillance entails without any pretense. At a program in Bhandara, he told BJP workers and officials, "All your mobiles and WhatsApp groups are under surveillance. We receive a complete digital record daily of whom you talk to on WhatsApp, what you say, and what messages you send in the group."

At that time, no one should act too smart. We are watching you.' This threat given by Bawankule is not only to their office bearers but also to the opposition in the state and the internal opponents of Devendra Fadnavis. In a way, Bawankule has dropped a bomb. This makes it clear that Fadnavis and his people have created a private mechanism like 'Pegasus' in Maharashtra and are listening to or watching all their opponents' phones, chatting, and emails.

During 2019, when the BJP government was not being formed, the then Director General of Police of the state tapped the phones of opposition leaders for Fadnavis to provide information on what was happening in the opposition camp. After objections were raised about this, crimes were registered against the then Director General of Police and an investigation was initiated, but once Fadnavis's government returned, the police director who was eavesdropping on the opposition's phones was reinstated. Even now, the same Director General of Police is in position, and a key minister of the state has admitted that the opposition's phones are being tapped.

It is different for the government to tap phones and different for a political party to set up an independent private mechanism for surveillance through phone tapping. If the BJP has spent at least 800 to 1000 crores to set up such 'Pegasus' secret operation centers in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, then Chandrashekhar Bawankule should be publicly honored for inadvertently exposing this. If the phones of those within the BJP who are not part of Fadnavis's group are being tapped, then the leaders of the opposition and the Mindhe group will inevitably fall within the scope of this phone tapping.

Phone tapping is a serious crime. In a democratic country like India, such crimes should not be tolerated. According to the India Telegraph Act, 1885, the government can conduct phone tapping under certain circumstances. These specific circumstances include threats to national security and maintaining public order, where phone tapping can be done legally. However, if an individual or officer illegally conducts phone tapping, strict action can be taken against the offenders under sections 409, 419, 420, 466, 468, 471, and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. By illegally phone tapping....