AAP's Manish Sisodia rakes up Gujarat snooping row, calls it India's Monica Lewinksy scandal

Even as Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia rejected the resignation of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan who has been charged with sexual harassment, he referred to Gujarat’s snooping incident, calling it ‘India’s Monika Lewinsky’ scandal.

The senior AAP leader claimed the party’s internal probe found “no wrongdoing” on part of Khan and said the latter is being targeted as he is unearthing land scams in Waqf board involving “influential” people.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sisodia compared allegations of snooping with America’s infamous Monica Lewinsky incident and challenged the Indian media to debate on it too.

Addressing the media, Sisodia said, “Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention a case of India’s Monica Lewinsky which Kapil Mishra had brought it up in Vidhan Sabha. If you recall, US media exposed the Monica Lewinsky scandal which threw open a lot of debates despite Bill Clinton being the then US President. Similarly, Mishra brought to our attention how this snooping row which involves the leaders of the ruling party.”

“There is no discussion over this incident as if it never happened. The media should highlight this incident, there should be a debate on this. If there is so much debate and uproar over Amanatullah Khan, there should be a debate on this ‘Indian Monica Lewinsky’ scandal issue too,” Sisodia said.

Sisodia further claimed that a senior IAS officer, who used to work then with Modi, had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accepting that a woman used to secretly visit Modi – the then Chief Minister of Gujarat – and used to stay in the room adjacent to Modi’s.

“When she once fell ill they didn’t even call the doctor in order to guard the secret. The IAS officer has given a detailed account of how the then Home Minister of Gujarat, Amit Shah, had deployed the IB, ATS and police force for keeping an eye on the woman illegally,” Sisodia said.

“We are not afraid of all the allegations being levelled on AAP. This will not deter us from our path. We are determined to fight.”

The snooping controversy erupted after claims by two investigative portals in 2013 that former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one “Saheb”, alleged to be Modi.

The BJP had trashed the allegations, calling it a handiwork of “dirty tricks” department of rivals.

On Thursday, AAP leader Ashutosh had spoken over the 2009 Gujarat snooping row after being summoned by NCW demanding that the rights body should first probe the alleged role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

He submitted a written complaint to the Chairperson about the alleged snooping incident in 2009, which he later shared on Twitter.

“If you want to hang me, hang me. But let me bring to your attention a far serious allegation.”

“…A woman was harassed by men occupying constitutional posts. If it goes without being investigated and persons being unpunished, if found guilty, then the women of this country will lose faith in NCW in particular and injustice in general,” he said.

“…The demand of justice is that NCW under your august leadership should take cognisance of this matter seriously, send notice to both-  Amit Shah and Modi- summon them to the NCW office for an explanation and further investigation just as you have sent a notice to me,” Ashutosh wrote in his letter.

With inputs from PTI