New Delhi, Sep 21 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Sougata Roy on Friday lashed out at the Congress-led UPA Government over West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's alleged claims that the Centre was tapping her phone.
"If the government declares war with us, then we are going to protest and we will retaliate. Getting someone's phone tapped is not a right thing to do, and it should not happen," said Roy.
"And, I think, it is a very cheap attempt by the government to tarnish our image by showing the photocopy of the draft of our manifesto," he added.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has denied Banerjee's charge that her phone was tapped when she was leading a movement at Nandigram nearly five years ago.
"We have not tapped anyone's phones," he said.
The Trinamool Congress chief had earlier on Thursday hinted at the Centre resorting to tapping of her phones, and alleged that the Home Ministry had ordered her phone-tapping in the past.
"I was in the Central Government... I know that anybody's phone can be tapped with the help of the Home Ministry. It has happened with me before. I am aware about all these methods. There is no need to make me open my mouth," she told mediapersons in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, another TMC lawmaker Vivek Gupta said that his political outfit would continue to protest against the government policies.
"Our ministers are going to resign. We have also sought time from the honourable President to give him a letter withdrawing our support from UPA-II. After that we shall decide what course to follow, but one thing is for sure, we will continue to protest in all forms and all manners for the common man, till these anti-commoner policies are reversed," he said.
Trinamool Congress ministers will meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, at around 3 p.m. today to resign from his government over the reforms he cleared last week. They will then head to Rashtrapati Bhawan where they will formally withdraw their letter of support to the ruling UPA coalition in which Banerjee's Trinamool Congress was the second-largest ally.
Trinamool Congress has six ministers, including one of Cabinet rank, in the UPA Government.
After Trinamool Congress's withdrawal of support, the UPA Government's support in Lok Sabha will come down from 273 to 254 and the coalition will be heavily dependent on Samajwadi Party (22) and BSP (21) for its majority in the House.
For a simple majority, the Manmohan Singh Government needs the support of at least 273 MPs in a House of 545. (ANI)