'Centre using NSO to track activities of politicians'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that the Centre was using the Israeli spyware company NSO Group to track the activities of politicians, media persons, lawyers, social activists and other important personalities. She further alleged that the NSO has supplied the surveillance technology to the Centre.

“Government is using the NSO of Israel to track the activities of politicians, media, lawyers, even judges and IAS, IPS officers, social activists along with other important personalities. It is true. It is wrong to encroach into someone’s privacy,” said Mamata.

She said that sometimes, during an emergency situation, government officials have to work beyond office hours and at that time, if any instruction is given to police by the government, someone else may have access to it. Describing it as a “very serious situation” she urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into it.

“Sometimes in case of an emergency we work beyond office hours. If any instruction is given to police by the government then someone else may have access to it. Secrecy is being compromised. How will government function?...t is s very serious situation. I will request the Prime Minister to take care of it,” said Mamata.

She also said that Centre and more than one state government was aware of the issue.

“It is a fact that NSO, they have supplied this (the surveillance technology) to the Government,” she added.

She further alleged that her phone was tapped and she has evidence to prove it.

Expressing concern over the issue Banerjee said several prominent means of communication including Whatsapp are not safe anymore and spying was going on everywhere.