BENGALURU: Responding to the US court verdict in the Pegasus spyware case involving an illegal surveillance racket, Congress leaders have expressed concern over the privacy of the citizens who were targeted.
Congress leader and Karnataka general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The verdict in the Pegasus case has blown the lid off a nefarious operation where 300 WhatsApp numbers of Indians were specifically targeted in an illegal surveillance racket. The time has come for the Union government to face an inquisition. Who are the 300 Indians whose privacy was invaded? Which two Union ministers were caught in this web of espionage? Which three Opposition leaders had their communications compromised? Which journalists, business tycoons and high-profile individuals were spied on? What sensitive information did the BJP government and its agencies retrieve from these victims? How was this data used, misused and manipulated for political gain?”
The judgment has affirmed that 1,400 WhatsApp numbers were targeted, with 300 from India. “Will the Supreme Court call for a further inquiry? Shouldn’t Meta (formerly Facebook) be forced to release the names of the 300 Indians targeted, given its responsibility to protect its user base in India?’’ he asked.
Former AICC general secretary and MLC Hariprasad said, “While investigation into Pegasus has been done in many countries, it is yet to take off in India. It is a failure to protect citizens’ privacy.”
Former MLC and Congress media in-charge Ramesh Babu said, “Phone hacking is a criminal offence in India. However, the BJP government is accused of engaging in misuse of power through Pegasus spyware, targeting phones of key national leaders and officials. This violation of privacy has sparked outrage across the political spectrum. Many opposition leaders have demanded immediate action, calling on the Modi government to stop its evasive tactics and face investigation into Pegasus head-on.’’