Mumbai: An international alliance of media partners on Sunday reported about a widescale surveillance operation that targeted opposition leaders, journalists and many more using Israel-linked spyware called Pegasus. The report's publications sent ripples across the political and social spheres in the country. Opposition parties called for a boycott of the assembly. State leaders have also reacted to the development. Leaders of the ruling Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and opposition BJP have also hurled allegations against each other.
Nana Patole
Congress state president Nana Patole, while reacting, expressed suspicion that the phones of state leaders were also tapped through it. Meanwhile, Nana Patole had earlier complained directly to the legislature that his phone was being tapped. He had said on Tuesday that he would discuss the matter with Rahul Gandhi.
Balasaheb Thorat
Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat has made a serious allegation that Congress state president Nana Patole's phone was tapped. He said that this case is from 2017-18. He also expressed fears that the information of important people in the country could go to the enemy countries.
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Sachin Sawant
In Maharashtra, a case of unauthorized phone tapping had already come to light through Rashmi Shukla during the Fadnavis government and now there are also reports of the use of Pegasus software. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant has demanded that the Mahavikas Aghadi government should inquire whether Pegasus was used in Maharashtra as well. Sachin Sawant also raised the question of with whose permission the DGIPR officials went to Israel, what training they underwent there, whether they returned and reported, whether the tour had anything to do with Pegasus.
"It is surprising and suspicious that such tours have taken place during the election period. This needs to be investigated," Sawant said. He also said that all the information on how many officials went to Israel, whether there were government meetings with the NSO, or any correspondence with the NSO should come to light.
Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, while reacting to the Pegasus issue, strongly criticized the Center. Sanjay Raut said the BJP has fielded two leaders named in the Pegasus espionage case in the Union Cabinet. The names of two Union ministers, Pralhad Joshi and Ashwini Vaishnav, have also come to the fore. He was later given a place in the Union Cabinet. Raut has alleged that Vaishnav, who was spied on, has been made the IT minister of the same department. Meanwhile, I would not be surprised if anyone is tapping the phone of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he added.
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Devendra Fadnavis
"The Pegasus issue is just a conspiracy to discredit the Indian government. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the session." Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis alleged that the opposition had no interest in the discussion and was only harassing the government. Devendra Fadnavis also reminded that the Manmohan Singh government was also accused of phone tapping. "The telegraph law in the country is very strict and official phones are tapped by the central government under this law."
