Congress Hits Out At BJP Govt Over Reports Of Buying New Spyware Ahead Of 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Congress hit out at the government while quoting Financial Times report which claimed that the Centre is looking for new spyware with a lower profile than the controversial Pegasus system and is seeking to spend up to USD 120 million through new spyware contracts.

PTI

Updated on: 2 April 2023 3:49 pm

Jairam Ramesh addressing media

The Congress on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led government over a media report which claimed that the Centre is looking to acquire a new spyware system, alleging that a "conspiracy" to hack phones of people by taking foreign help ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls has come to the fore.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the government came over a Financial Times report which claimed that the Centre is looking for new spyware with a lower profile than the controversial Pegasus system and is seeking to spend up to USD 120 million through new spyware contracts.

मोदी सरकार ने पिछले चुनावों से पहले विदेशी मदद से पेगासस के द्वारा देश के नागरिकों, विपक्ष, न्यायपालिका, चुनाव आयुक्त, पत्रकारों पर जासूसी की👇

अब चुनाव से पहले एक बार फिर विदेशी सहायता लेकर देशवासियों के फोन को हैक कराने की साज़िश सामने आ गई है।

यह लोकतंत्र पर सीधा हमला है। https://t.co/1PjDm1dJCT
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 2, 2023

"Modi government spied on citizens, Opposition, judiciary, election commissioner, journalists through Pegasus with foreign help before last elections. Now before the elections, once again conspiracy to hack phones of the people of country by taking foreign help has come to the fore," Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

This is a direct attack on democracy, he alleged.

About a dozen competitors are expected to join the bidding process, stepping into the void created by the pressure on NSO, the Israeli makers of Pegasus, from human rights groups and the administration of US President Joe Biden, the Financial Times reported.