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Pegasus snooping worse than Watergate scandal: Mamata Banerjee

She alleged that not only were the phones of judges, Opposition leaders and Ministers being tapped, but also the phones of some RSS leaders
Last Updated 22 July 2021, 15:43 IST

Dubbing the Pegasus issue as “worse than the Watergate scandal”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that it has created a situation in the country similar to the “imposition of super emergency.”

She alleged that not only were the phones of judges, Opposition leaders and Ministers being tapped, but also the phones of some RSS leaders.

“Pegasus is worse than the Watergate scandal. The situation in the country is like a super emergency. They (the BJP-led Government at the Centre) don’t even trust their own Ministers and officers. I have heard that they are even tapping the phones of some RSS leaders,” said Mamata. She was speaking to reporters at the state secretariat.

The Chief Minister alleged that she was holding a meeting with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, senior leader Subrata Bakshi and poll strategist Prashant Kishor at her south Kolkata party office and whatever was said in the meeting was recorded.

“They (Centre) have tapped my phone and also those of Abhishek and Prashant Kishor. We will not be cowed down by such coercive tactics” said Mamata.

Lashing out at the BJP for the Income Tax raids on the offices of the media group Dainik Bhaskar, the Chief Minister said that “it was being targeted because it boldly covered the issue of bodies of Covid-19 patients being dumped in the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh.”

Mamata said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given her appointment and she will meet him during her trip to Delhi. She also said that she will meet leaders of other Opposition parties.

Denying the allegation, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said that it is the Mamata Banerjee Government which uses the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, Opposition leaders and Government officers in the state.

“Even the TMC leaders avoid using normal phone calls and SMSes as they know that their phones are being tapped. The BJP does not believe in the culture of phone tapping. It is the culture of the Congress where Mamata Banerjee started her political career,” said Ghosh.

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(Published 22 July 2021, 12:04 IST)

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