New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday defended the government's use of phone taps saying that these powers were necessary to deal with issues like tax evasion, but stressed that they have to be well regulated and shouldn't be misused.
"We are aware of the nervousness in some sections of corporate sector about phone tapping. While these powers are needed, they have to be exercised with utmost care and under very defined rules, procedures and mechanisms so that they are not misused," he said.
"We need solutions to prevent public access to phone conversations outside legal framework of the government...I am asking Cabinet Secretary to look into these issues and report back to the Cabinet within the next month," he said while inaugurating the India Corporate Week 2010 in New Delhi.
(Read: PM's full speech at the India Corporate Week)The Prime Minister's remarks come in the backdrop of Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata approaching the Supreme Court against the leakage of tapes involving him and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.
HDFC Chairman Deepak Parikh had also commented earlier this week on telephone tapping and leakage of 'private conversations'. He said the morale of the industry has been hurt by such incidents.
Reacting after the PM's statement, Bajaj Group Chairman Rahul Bajaj said, "Public interest is important but so is privacy, dignity and self respect of individuals. I do believe that the Prime Minister said today that in today's world, some of these things are unfortunately necessary but he also said something to the effect that privacy, which meant dignity of the individual, should not be violated."
"I don't think there's a sense of fear. Phone tapping should be used in extreme cases like those of national security. Respect of privacy is a very important factor. I am glad that the government realises that phone taps shouldn't have been leaked," added Godrej Industries chairman Adi Godrej.
(Watch)Close to 6000 phone conversations between Radia, a powerful PR executive and a range of politicians, industrialists and others were recorded and have been transcribed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Tata, who was a client of Radia's and is on tape, had taken the government to court for leaking the tapes to the media and for violating his right to privacy. Two magazines that published the transcripts of the Radia tapes were served notice in the case earlier this month.
The Supreme Court on Monday had asked the government to present in a sealed cover a copy of the complaint which led to Niira Radia's phones being tapped in 2008 and 2009.
(Radia tapes: Don't tarnish images, warns court)In an affidavit filed last week, the government told the court it had begun tapping Radia's telephone on a complaint that she had built a business empire of Rs. 300 crore in a short span of nine years. The complaint also alleged that she was indulging in anti-national activities and was acting as spy of foreign intelligence agencies.
The court said on Monday, "We make it clear nobody's image should be tarnished. Every individual has the right to protect his dignity." The judges also warned the media to report carefully on Tata's case.
"We would like to say that over the last three weeks, there were distorted proceedings of the court. So far we have ignored it. But don't take the risk of hauled up. Nobody will be allowed to play with the court. Use restraint."
While acknowledging the role of the media as "watchdogs," the court said, "They should not cross the lakshman rekha..." (With PTI Inputs)