Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has been left embarrassed after an unidentified person leaked audio clips of alleged telephonic conversations between the Congress leader and a contractor and his wife to the media.
Most of the conversations allegedly between the minister and the couple are on transactions, love and politics. In one of the 19 audio clips, Thakur is heard calling the contractor's wife "darling" and asking for a date.
Thakur is also heard showering love on the woman and discussing personal matters, India Today reports.
The phone conversations were reportedly tapped during the Lok Sabha elections last year. However, it is still unclear whether the phone calls were tapped on the orders of government or by an individual.
Apart from love, Thakur is said to have discussed his political career with the couple as he talks about his opponent and ticket allotment. He also talks about a CD, which he claims can turn the state upside down.
The leak has not only caused embarrassment to the minister but also to the ruling party in Himachal Pradesh – Congress.
Taking advantage of the issue, the opposition party in Himachal Pradesh, BJP hit out at Congress saying the leak reflects the internal fight in the ruling party. The BJP also asked for Thakur's resignation on moral ground and demanded a CBI probe into the phone-tapping incident.
"The phone-tapping is nothing but the outcome of the Congress party infighting. A person is circulating the illegal phone-tapping from Delhi and the state's intelligence is caught unaware. This has brought a shame to the state," Himachal Pradesh BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said.
"We demand a CBI probe into the incident. The minister should resign on moral grounds as the conversation like this cannot be expected from the stature of a Cabinet minister," he added.
