Was BJP spying citizens, pol leaders ahead of 2019 elections: Cong

New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on the government over the WhatsApp spyware case, the Congress on Sunday asked if the Narendra Modi dispensation spied on citizens and political leaders ahead of the 2019 parliamentary election.

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Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked whether those sitting in the echelons of power are guilty of criminal offences and whether the government knew of the illegal spyware being deployed to spy on key persons.

"Shocking facts in #WhatsAppSpygate - Was BJP Government spying on citizens and political leaders in the run up to 2019 elections," he asked.

"Did Government know of the illegal spyware since May 2019? Are those sitting in echelons of power gulity of criminal offences," Surjewala asked.

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WhatsApp had informed the Indian government in September that 121 Indian users were targeted by the Israeli spyware Pegasus, but IT ministry has contended that the information received from the messaging app earlier was inadequate and incomplete, according to sources.

Sources at WhatsApp said the messaging platform has now responded to the government's last week's query seeking an explanation on the Pegasus spyware incident that allegedly snooped on journalists and human rights activists across the world, including India.

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(PTI)