The Congress in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday sought the sacking of Home Minister Amit Shah and a probe into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in the alleged telephonic spying on opposition leaders, activists and journalists among others.
PCC chief Mohan Markam described the alleged phone hacking by the Modi government as an act of sedition which had affected the country's internal security.
“The oppressive BJP is now indulging in violation fundamental rights of the people. The phone snooping by a foreign spyware agency shows the intent of the Modi government," he said.
“Home Minister Amit Shah should immediately be sacked and a probe must also be done on the involvement of the Prime Minister,” he said.
“The people who were spying for the British before independence are now seated on the throne in Delhi. Their snooping has not stopped,” he said.
A leaked database of thousands of telephone numbes believed to have been listed by multiple government clients of an Israeli surveillance technology firm includes over 300 verified Indian mobile numbers according to an investigation by 10 media partners.
Forensic tests conducted as part of the media on a small cross section of phones associated with these numbers revealed clear sings of targeting by Pegasus spyware in 37 phones, of which 10 are Indian.
NSO Group, the Israeli company, which seels Pegasus worldwide, says its clients are "vetted governments" believed to number 36.
