Rahul Gandhi’s allegation about Pegasus – Modi government committed treason, Congress leaders also surrounded the Center
The central government has been accused of having bought Pegasus spyware from Israel in 2017. Now about this, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has accused the Narendra Modi government of ‘sedition’. Not only this, from Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala to Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also targeted the BJP government.
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The report of the American newspaper New York Times has claimed that in 2017, a deal of modern weapons and intelligence equipment was signed between India and Israel worth about two billion dollars (about 15 thousand crore rupees). This included the purchase of Pegasus spyware and a missile system.
On this news, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The Modi government bought Pegasus to spy on the primary institutions of our democracy, politicians and the public. By tapping the phone, the ruling party, the opposition, the army, the judiciary have all been targeted. This is treason.”
मोदी सरकार ने हमारे लोकतंत्र की प्राथमिक संस्थाओं, राज नेताओं व जनता की जासूसी करने के लिए पेगासस ख़रीदा था। फ़ोन टैप करके सत्ता पक्ष, विपक्ष, सेना, न्यायपालिका सब को निशाना बनाया है। ये देशद्रोह है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 29, 2022
मोदी सरकार ने देशद्रोह किया है। pic.twitter.com/OnZI9KU1gp
PM’s direct role in Pegasus espionage case: Surjewala
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters, “This news has proved what the Congress had been saying. Modi government has used this spyware against its citizens in an illegal and unconstitutional way. The Prime Minister is directly responsible for this. This is abduction of democracy and sedition.”
He also claimed, “The Modi government has cheated the Parliament. Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told Parliament that he did not have information about the purchase of this spyware. The Home Minister and the Home Ministry and the Defense Minister and the Defense Ministry have cheated the Parliament.” He alleged, “Pegasus spyware was bought with public money and with the approval of the Prime Minister. This government has betrayed the Parliament, the people and the Supreme Court.”
Surjewala, in response to a question, said, “The Prime Minister has a direct role in this matter. We will do it by demanding to fix the accountability of the Prime Minister within the Parliament. We will try to ensure the accountability of BJP and its leaders in the public court. We request the Supreme Court to take cognizance of this and initiate appropriate punitive court proceedings as this government has deliberately deceived the Supreme Court.”
What did other Congress leaders say?
On the other hand, Leader of Opposition in Congress Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted, “Why did the Modi government act like an enemy of India and use weapons of war only against Indian citizens?” He said, “Use of Pegasus is illegal. To do espionage is treason. No one is above the law. We will ensure that justice is done.”
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammed said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government used military-grade spyware against several Indian citizens, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, for which he should be held accountable. Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas B.V. tweeted, “Rahul Gandhi ji asked two questions to the government in July 2021, to which the PM did not answer but got the news from ‘New York Times’. The questions were whether the Indian government bought Pegasus and used this weapon on its people? Now the answer is very clear – yes.
BJP MP attacked his own government
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, “The Modi government should reject the New York Times revelations. Israeli company NSO sold Pegasus for Rs 300 crore. Prima facie it appears that the government has misled the Supreme Court and Parliament. Is this ‘Watergate’?
Supreme Court has constituted inquiry committee
The Supreme Court had in October last year constituted a committee of experts to probe into the alleged spying of Indian citizens through Israeli spyware ‘Pegasus’. An association of some international media groups claimed that Pegasus has been allegedly used against several Indian politicians, ministers, social activists, businessmen and journalists.
