BJP using Parl security breach issue to malign Oppn: Cong leader

Panaji, Feb 1 : Congress leader and party in-charge of four northeastern states, Girish Chodankar on Thursday slammed the BJP-led Central government for trying to malign opposition over the December 13 Parliament security breach issue.

"After being utterly exposed and humiliated on all fronts, the rattled BJP government is shamelessly wielding its power to coerce those arrested in the Parliament security breach into maligning the Opposition," Chodankar said.

"Its disgraceful and reprehensible that they resort to such underhanded tactics.Shame on them for stooping so low," he said.

According to him, five of the six individuals have told the court that they are allegedly being tortured by the Delhi Police to "admit their association with opposition parties".

They claimed they were coerced into signing about 70 blank papers and forced to confess their involvement with national political parties.

In a joint petition, the accused stated: "Accused persons were tortured/given electric shocks to sign and confess (to) the commission of crime under the UAPA and their association with national political parties."

The joint petition further revealed that during polygraph, narco, and brain mapping tests, the individuals were pressurised to name a political party or leader.

They were also compelled to provide social media accounts, email, and phone passwords during the alleged illegal procedures.

sbk/pgh