NCP seeks Modi govt’s resignation
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) politician Jayant Patil and legislator Jitendra Ahwad demanded resignation of the Narendra Modi-led government over the ongoing WhatsApp spyware scandal.
“WhatsApp informed they are spying on people on behalf of the government agencies. It is evident the home ministry is involved in it. Thus, we demand the resignation of the Narendra Modi-led government,” said Patil, addressing a press conference on Monday.
Earlier on Thursday last (October 31), WhatsApp's parent company Facebook stated that the Israel-based cyber security company, NSO used WA servers to spread a spyware called, Pegasus. Of the 1,400 users were targeted across 20 nations. As many as 121 Indians, including politicians, journalists, activists and lawyers, had been spied upon.
Later, the NSO stated that its spying software was licensed for the usage of government agencies.
“Earlier Congress leader Hardik Patel's phone was tapped by the BJP government. Whatever happened in Gujarat is now being followed in the entire country,” Patil added.
NCP leader Praful Patel and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi are among those, who claimed to have been targeted by the government.
“IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad not even once said that the government was in the know of the breach. Prasad also met the vice president of Facebook in September, but surprisingly he didn’t raise the issue,” stated
WhatsApp informed they are spying on people on behalf of the govt agencies. It is evident the home ministry is involved in it. Thus, we demand the resignation of the Modi-led govt. —Jayant Patil
Patil.
Legislator Jitendra Ahwad demanded the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the spyware in Maharashtra. He added the committee should be led by a retired high court judge instead of any CBI or IAS officer to avoid bureaucratic interference.
Comparing with the Americas' Richard Nixon government, Ahwad alleged that the probe and security agencies are being used as political weapons by the present BJP government at the Centre to oppress opposition leaders and intellectuals.
“US President Richard Nixon had to resign soon after his government was exposed for spying on opposition leaders in the White House. The same needs to happen in India as well,” said Ahwad.
Ahwad further said that ahead of the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls, a number of businessmen were threatened by senior probe agency officials as they were in contact with NCP leaders.
“This is for the first time in the country that such dirty tricks are being played in politics. Seeing the present situation, it seems safety has become a big concern now,” added Ahwad.