Treason by Modi Govt": Rahul Gandhi over report on Pegasus

Rahul Gandhi on January 29 attacked the Centre over a report which claimed that the Indian government bought the Pegasus spy tool in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel and said that 'Modi Govt has committed treason'.

Slamming the Centre, the Congress leader alleged that the Narendra Modi government 'bought' Pegasus to spy on the primary 'institutions of our democracy, leaders and the public'.

"Modi Govt bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason. Modi Govt has committed treason," he tweeted.

According to the report in The New York Times, the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the 'centerpieces' of a roughly USD 2-billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged the spyware was used against Rahul Gandhi, Supreme Court judges, Alok Verma, KK Sharma, Jitendra Kumar Ojha, lawyers, activists and journalists among others.