My phones being tapped: Tamilisai

Hyderabad: In an open face-off with the state government, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday felt that her phones were being tapped. She said any such attempt would amount to intrusion into her privacy.

At a press conference on Wednesday meant to clarify the standoff between the government and the Governor on the issue of pending bills, the visibly upset Governor claimed that government was eavesdropping on her conversations with her contacts but she was not scared or worried since she functions in a transparent manner and that that the doors of Raj Bhavan were open unlike Pragathi Bhavan. "I can give my phone to anyone for verification," she said. Tearing into the ruling party for allegedly resorting to "unethical practices," she said if her phone had not been tapped, how could TRS tweet that "Raj Bhavan and Tushar" were involved in the "incident"? She said it was unfortunate that they do not even know about which Tushar they tweeted.

The Governor said Tushar Bhasin was her former ADC (2019 to 2021). He was in Hyderabad for three days and contacted Raj Bhavan to meet her and wish her. But more than that, what she wanted to know was how they came to know that one Tushar had contacted her. "I doubt my phones are being tapped. An undemocratic situation is prevailing in the state particularly in respect to the Governor. It is shocking," she said.

Tamilisai said she was not involved in any illegal activity and demanded that the government clarify on this issue. She wanted to know on what basis the party official handle tweeted that Raj Bhavan was involved in the 'Poachgate'.

Referring to the criticism that the Governor was violating protocol, she said it had become a habit for everyone to make comments on her and Raj Bhavan without verifying facts. She said she can make public all her tour plans where protocol was followed. No superintendent of police or district collector received her and now they are talking about protocol, she said.

She took objection to the remarks of Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy on Tuesday saying that Raj Bhavan was misleading people by giving false information that the Governor had written a letter to her. Sabitha had said that the officials should maintain dignity and stop spreading false information. She wondered if making comments without verifying the truth was also protocol of the government.