Security audit is not snooping

Faced with accusations of an effort to turn India into a police state like Pakistan, the Government yesterday  told the Rajya Sabha that the controversial pro forma for VIPs has been in place since 1958 and such a security audit cannot be billed as snooping which is done undercover.

Raising the issue at the start of proceedings, the Opposition sought to remind the Government that this was not a partisan matter as the House had similarly expressed outrage over reports of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's telephone being tapped during UPA rule.

Intervening, Jaitley accused the Opposition of "making a mountain of what is not even a mole-hill'' and pointed out that 526 MPs had filled up such a pro forma during UPA rule. The list of those who have been profiled in such a manner include Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he added.

As for questions like foot size and eye-colour being asked in the pro forma, Jaitley sought to remind the members that a former Prime Minister's body had been identified by his shoe.