Hundreds of Congress workers led by ‘youth leader’ Srinivas B V staged a protest on Monday over the alleged phone tapping issue. Flouting the Covid-19 norms the male workers who went shirtless for reasons best known to them, chanted ‘Jasoos Modi down-down.’
It’s a matter of shame that the Prime Minister of India spied on his own citizens while declaring himself Chowkidar.
— Srinivas B V (@srinivasiyc) July 19, 2021
Jasoos Modi; Down-Down!!#Pegasus pic.twitter.com/yl1SQiXqiG
The protestors also demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee and a probe into the matter monitored by the Supreme Court.
Hundreds of Indian Youth Congress (@IYC) activists on Monday staged a protest over the issue of alleged phone tapping and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and #SupremeCourt monitored probe into the issue. pic.twitter.com/IqhTQF0VnL
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) July 19, 2021
At some point one can see the ‘protestors’ come and easily lay down so that the police can take them away for detainment.
Srinivas claims Rahul Gandhi was a ‘potential target’
Sharing media reports, Srinivas also claimed through his Tweets claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was a ‘potential target’ to snooping in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
#NewsAlert | #Congress‘ #SrinivasBV puts out report claiming #RahulGandhi was a ‘potential #Pegasus target’ in the run up to 2019 polls.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 19, 2021
Details by Mohit Sharma. pic.twitter.com/EtwuHMjppS
Not just him, Rahul Gandhi’s aides were also in the list alleged Srinivas.
Srinivas, however, appeared in the protests wearing his t-shirt with an image of Rahul Gandhi on the left side.
Congress addresses a press conference
Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress party is addressing a press conference currently on the Pegasus snoopgate after The Wire published what it called an ‘explosive story.’
LIVE: Congress Party Briefing by Shri @kharge, Shri @adhirrcinc and Shri @rssurjewala at AICC HQ https://t.co/xkoIf5oOA3
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 19, 2021
Netizens see this as a conspiracy
Meanwhile, the netizens have cast aspersions on the Congress for raking up this issue just before the monsoon session. The netizens brought to notice Rahul Gandhi’s obscure Tweet made two days ago where he asked ‘I am wondering what you are reading these days.
Oh Wow….Rahul baba is ‘Antaryaami’ he knows everything in advance – Pidi Media!!! pic.twitter.com/lVyrH9701u
— Seema Choudhary (@Seems3r) July 19, 2021
After The Wire broke out the alleged phone tapping story, Gandhi today quoted his earlier Tweet and remarked, “We know what he’s been reading, everything on your phone. #Pegasus.”
The Wire’s claim
On Sunday evening, left-wing portal The Wire reported that the names of 40 Indian journalists are there in an alleged leaked list containing people who were under surveillance using Israeli spyware Pegasus. The 40 Indians are apparently among the thousands of people mentioned in the so-called leaked list, which were earlier reported by The Guardian.
However, The Wire, or other international publications, have not given any proof of this so-called leak. Moreover, none of the media houses reporting this ‘leak’ has said from where this data was leaked, which government was allegedly spying on those people. As the list apparently contains names from several countries, it is difficult to tell who was being spied on by which country, considering the list to be real.
Government denies claims
the Indian government issued a statement responding to a questionnaire about the alleged leak. The statement says that “the story being crafted is one that is not only bereft of facts but also founded in pre-conceived conclusions. It seems you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury.”
The statement said that both in RTI replies and in the Parliament, the govt has clarified that there has been no unauthorised interception by Government agencies. “The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever,” the statement said.
However, the INC and the ecosystem seeing this as an opportunity have launched a scathing attack against the Modi government seeking ‘clarity’.
