New Delhi, January 30, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Congress has attacked the Modi government over a New York Times report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel, saying that the government indulged in illegal snooping using the spyware which amounts to “treason”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said that the Modi government “bought” Pegasus to “spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public”. “Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tapping. This is treason and “Modi Govt has committed treason,” he tweeted.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter, “Why did Modi govt act like the enemies of India and use a warfare weapon against Indian citizens?” “Illegal snooping using Pegasus amounts to treason. No one is above the law and we will ensure that justice is served,” he said.
Citing the media report, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammed said this is “irrefutable proof” that the BJP government used military grade spyware to snoop on the citizens of India, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. There must be accountability, she demanded.
Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said that the “revelations” in the report imply that the Government “misled” the Supreme Court and Parliament on the issue. Youth Congress chief Srinivas B V also cited the media report and tweeted, “Hence Proved! Chowkidar Hi Jasoos Hai.”
Reacting to the report, Congress’ deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi said in a tweet, “PM Modi went to Israel to purchase weapons to counter terrorism and instead used it on his own civilians, including journalists, judges, bureaucrats and opposition politicians.”
In a tweet, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the spyware was used not for defence purposes but to snoop on opposition and journalists. “If there is a BJP, it is possible. They have made the country into a Bigg Boss show,” she said in a tweet in Hindi. The Supreme Court had set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India. The Government had denied all allegations made against it in the matter.
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