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Following a New York Times (NYT) investigation claiming that the government of India bought Pegasus spyware in 2017 as part of an agreement with Israel, the opposition targeted the Modi government. The report, however, was dismissed by Union Minister VK Singh.

According to the New York Times, the Pegasus spyware and a missile system were the “centerpieces” of a $2 billion military and intelligence contract between India and Israel in 2017. PM Narendra Modi’s travel to Israel in July 2017 – making him the first Indian prime minister to do so – was also mentioned in the report.

Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of “treason” on Twitter. He claimed Pegasus was purchased to spy on the “central institutions of our democracy, leaders, and the general public.” 

Modi Govt bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Govt functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by these phone tappings. This is treason.

Modi Govt has committed treason.

— January 29, 2022

The New York Times’ piece was called “Supari Media” by Union minister Gen V K Singh on Saturday. “Do you think the New York Times can be trusted?” According to the former Army chief they are known as “Supari Media.”

Last year, a controversy erupted over the Israeli spyware Pegasus, which was allegedly used in India for targeted spying. Last year, an international investigative group reported that the NSO Group’s phone hacking software had targeted a number of persons, including Indian ministers, legislators, activists, businesses, and journalists. The administration, on the other hand, denied any reports of specific people being subjected to surveillance, stating it “had no concrete basis or truth linked with it whatsoever.”

The Supreme Court established a three-member independent expert panel to investigate the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India in October of last year, stating that the government cannot get a “free pass” every time the specter of national security is raised, and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a “mute spectator” and be the bugbear it tries to avoid.

Following the NYT report, several opposition leaders have spoken out against the government. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter, “Why did Modi government act like the enemies of India and use a warfare weapon against Indian citizens?”

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy alleged the government has misled the Supreme Court on the Pegasus issue. “Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers’ money of ₹ 300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company. This implies prima facie our government misled Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate?”

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said in a tweet that the spyware was used to spy on opposition and journalists rather than for defence. “It is possible if the BJP exists. They’ve turned the country into a Big Boss show “she stated in a Hindi tweet.

The Supreme Court established a three-member independent expert team to investigate Pegasus’ suspected usage in India for targeted surveillance. The administration had strongly denied all of the claims levelled against it in the case.