Jaipur: Rajasthan’s political landscape has been shaken by a phone tapping controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issuing a show cause notice to its own cabinet minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena. The notice, signed by BJP state president Madan Rathore, accuses Meena of indiscipline and tarnishing the government’s image through his public statements. He has been given three days to respond to the notice.
The controversy came to fore after Meena alleged that his phone was being tapped and that he was under surveillance by his own government. He was speaking at a public event at Amagarh Temple in Jaipur. He claimed that when he exposed corruption cases, the state began monitoring his activities. Comparing the situation to the previous Congress-led government, Meena said that similar tactics were being used against him once again.
‘Meena’s remarks damaged BJP’s reputation’
The BJP’s notice mentioned that Meena’s remarks had damaged the party’s reputation and violated its disciplinary code. It further pointed that his statements had undermined the credibility of the elected government. According to reports, Meena may be summoned for discussions in the coming days.
Meena, meanwhile, said that he was unaware of the notice but would respond to the party leadership in due course. “I am a disciplined soldier of the party and will reply within the stipulated time,” he said.
The controversy gained momentum after a video of Meena’s allegations went viral on February 7, triggering an uproar in the Rajasthan assembly. Opposition Congress MLAs disrupted proceedings, demanding a response from chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma.
Meena has been dissatisfied with ministerial portfolios
Reports further mentioned that Meena has made multiple controversial statements over the past eight months, defying party norms. While the leadership initially refrained from taking action out of respect for his seniority, his continued defiance has now led to disciplinary proceedings.
It is believed that Meena has been dissatisfied with his ministerial portfolios. He was assigned partial control over the agriculture and rural development departments in December 2023. He had previously expressed his frustration in January 2024, and his first act of defiance came in July 2024 when he resigned from the cabinet in protest.
Reacting to the notice, leader of opposition Tikaram Jully accused the BJP of silencing Meena for opposing illegal sand mining. “If Meena’s statement was false, why didn’t the chief minister refute it in the assembly? Until he does, we will not allow the house to function,” Jully said, while talking to the Times of India.
