The Newshour Debate: Snoopgate Snub - Part 2 (4th May 2014)

Putting Congress in a fix, two key UPA allies, NCP and the National Conference, on Sunday (May 4) opposed Centre's decision to appoint a judge by May 16 to probe 'Snoopgate' allegedly involving Narendra Modi, saying such an action in Government's "dying hours" is wrong. Sharad Pawar, who heads the second-largest member of the Congress-led coalition government, called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed his opposition to appointment of a judge at this juncture to probe the issue. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference also participates in the government, tweeted, "Was talking to my dad last night & he felt the same way - setting up a commission of inquiry in the dying hours of UPA 2 is just wrong".

Modi came in the line of fire after it was alleged that illegal surveillance was carried out on a young woman in Gujarat in 2009 at his behest as Gujarat Chief Minister, as also Amit Shah, who was then the state's Home Minister. Government announced on Friday that a judge would be appointed by May 16 to probe the issue, drawing the ire of the BJP. Notwithstanding the opposition by NCP and NC, Congress made it clear that the judge will be appointed, asserting that there will be "no compromise" as the issue involved women of the country.BJP on Sunday (May 4) welcomed the stand taken by the two UPA allies, saying even coalition partners are refusing to be part of Congress's "politics of vendetta". Striking a similar note, Omar said if the decision to appoint could not be taken in December then it was wrong to appoint a judge five months later. "If the decision to appoint a commission was taken in Dec it should have been implemented. To appoint a judge 5 months later is wrong," he tweeted. The statements came close on the heels of Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Law Minister Kapil Sibal insisting that government planned to go ahead with naming a judge for the enquiry before May 16, the day on which Lok Sabha election results will be out.

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Shobha Oza, Spokesperson, Congress & President, All India Mahila Congress; Gaurav Bhatia, National Head, Legal Wing, SP; Pavan Kumar Verma, Cultural Advisor to CM, Bihar; R K Singh, Leader, BJP & Former Home Secretary; Asifa Khan, Leader, BJP and Saba Naqvi, Political Editor, Outlook -- discuss whether with key allies questioning the haste, can Congress still push ahead with 'Snoopgate' panel?