Centre purchased 'Pegasus spyware' to commit treason, says Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

Bhupesh Baghel

A day after New York Times report claimed that the Indian government bought Pegasus spyware in 2017 as part of a deal with Israel, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel attacked the Centre, saying that purchasing of the illegal snooping tool is 'an act of treason'.

CM Baghel tweeted in Hindi, "There is not a single democratic entity which has not been spied by the Modi Government. Even, they have not spared the Army. And for this, the government has spent billions of rupees for purchasing Pegasus. They are avoiding speaking the truth. This is an act of treason."

Earlier in the day, the Congress party alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) purchased Pegasus spyware from Israel during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in July 2017 and termed it as an "act of treason."

"Brazen hijack of democracy and act of treason. Modi government purchased Pegasus in 2017 along with other military technologies as the centrepiece of a package, including weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 bn from Israel during PM Modi's visit," said Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewalaa while addressing a press conference here in Delhi.

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