Joining Congress and other opposition parties, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took a jibe at the Modi government on the alleged snoopgate controversy. In a press conference today, she showed that she has put plasters on the camera of her phone, and said she covered the camera of her mobile phone to prevent snooping.
The West Bengal chief minister said, “I have plastered my phone because they tap everything, be it video or audio.”
“I have plastered my phone because they tap everything, be it video or audio”: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) on #Pegasus spyware reports pic.twitter.com/WO07dpiAeJ
— NDTV (@ndtv) July 21, 2021
Banerjee further said that she is scared to talk to her counterparts as Pegasus is dangerous. “They are harassing people. Sometimes I cannot speak to anyone. I can’t talk to Delhi or Orissa’s chief minister,” she said.
Talking about the ‘democratic structure’, Banerjee made a bizarre claim that the Election Commission has been captured by Pegasus. “Spygiri is going on. Phones of ministers, judges are being tapped. They have finished the democratic structure. Pegasus has captured the Election Commission, judiciary, ministers and media. Instead of a democratic state, they want to convert it into a surveillance state,” Banerjee commented.
In another video where Banerjee can be heard speaking in Hindi, she says, “I plastered the camera of my phone. The Government of India should also be plastered similarly.”
#MamataBanerjee shows how she’s put tape on her cell-phone camera after #PegasusSnoopgate. pic.twitter.com/27hLmUCh4K
— Sreyashi Dey (@SreyashiDey) July 21, 2021
Following the example of their leader, workers of Trinamool Congress also started covering the cameras of their phones with tapes.
Netizens reaction to yet another gimmick
Banerjee’s stunt to plaster her phone sparked hilarious reactions on the social media platform.
Quoting NDTV’s Tweet, a user wrote, “@MahuaMoitra should tell her b₹ainless leader that the plaster on her phone is as useless as the one she had on her leg for an imaginary injury.”
🤣🤣🤣 @MahuaMoitra should tell her b₹ainless leader that the plaster on her phone is as useless as the one she had on her leg for an imaginary injury. https://t.co/DWsu9lEHOT
— SimplyJaya (@SimplyJaya4) July 21, 2021
A handle by the name DesiOptimystic raising legit concern questioned, “How long will it take to heal the broken bones in your phone? Longer than your leg??”
How long will it take to heal the broken bones in your phone? Longer than your leg?? https://t.co/oLeKobQMxI
— अमित ਅਮਿਤ (@DesiOptimystic) July 21, 2021
Well, this was not the only one that wished speedy recovery for her phone. Another handle by the name DelhiChatter giving medical advice said, “Get stitches done when the phone screen cracks.”
स्क्रीन क्रैक होने पर टांके भी लगवा लेना 🤣 https://t.co/AJ1eVqbmER
— Delhi Se Hoon BC (@delhichatter) July 21, 2021
While another user compared the gimmick with that of the famous ‘Gopi Vahu’ who in a television serial washed her husband’s laptop.
Same energy !!! 😂 pic.twitter.com/t6hASptyiE
— The Brain Doctor (@DNeurosx) July 21, 2021
Keeping the meme game strong, another user took a jibe at the missing logic.
Logic: https://t.co/dQEcg0vpu9 pic.twitter.com/8uwd54ESdf
— Mahimna Kandpal (महिम्न काण्डपाल) (@MahimnaK) July 21, 2021
Poking fun at the stunt, another user wrote, “Yeah. she uses pigeons to communicate these days.”
Yeah. she uses pigeons to communicate these days https://t.co/pUhj3nkxHO
— SN🇮🇳 (@shalznair) July 21, 2021
A BJP leader too questioned Banerjee if it was the same plaster she removed almost immediately after winning the West Bengal state assembly elections.
This is the same plaster you removed just after the election results? 😉 https://t.co/uILoe60QCw
— S.Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (@SVishnuReddy) July 21, 2021
However, the left media seemed excited about her act. ‘Print and broadcast journalist’ Swati Chaturvedi sharing Banerjee’s video said, “Mamata Banerjee on the super snooper.”
Mamata Banerjee on the super snooper https://t.co/YLmpUX73Cg
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) July 21, 2021
While another user asked why was she afraid of her phone being tapped if she hasn’t committed any offence.
The Pegasus controversy
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.
This served as an opportunity for the opposition to attack the ruling government. Congress which was infamous for its snooping gate took out a ‘shirtless protest’ after the news broke out. While several other opposition leaders like Banerjee are thinking of creative ways to attack the Modi government despite the government denying claims.
It is imperative to note that no proof or evidence has been furnished by the publications that broke out the alleged phone tapping controversy.
