'Snooping' on activists, scribes illegal, shameful: Sonia Gandhi

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday criticised the government over the WhatsApp snooping row, saying it was not only "illegal and unconstitutional" but also "shameful". She also slammed the government over economic slowdown and said while the economy is under siege, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy managing headlines and events.

New Delhi:Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday dubbed the "snooping" on activists, journalists and political persons as illegal and alleged that the Israeli software used for it was acquired by the Modi government.

Gandhi's remarks, her first on the issue, come after WhatsApp said Indian scribes and human rights activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using Israeli spyware Pegasus.

The government has asserted that it is committed to protecting the privacy of Indian citizens and has asked the messaging platform to explain the breach.

"The latest shocking revelation that through the Israeli Pegasus software acquired by the Modi government, snooping and spying activities on activists, journalists and political persons have taken place," Gandhi said while addressing party leaders at a meeting.

"These activities are not only illegal and unconstitutional, they are shameful," she said.

The Congress on Thursday had attacked the Modi government over the issue, alleging that it had been "caught snooping".

The opposition party demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the "illegal hacking" of cellphones.

Amid the controversy, the government asked the Facebook-owned messaging service to explain the breach and list out measures that have been taken to safeguard privacy of millions of Indians.

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government is committed to protecting the privacy of Indian citizens.