Jagan would not be CM if we had used Pegasus: TDP on Mamata's claims

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's assertion that the Andhra Pradesh government under Chandrababu Naidu had bought Pegasus software has led to a war of words between the YSRCP and TDP.

In a statement made in the West Bengal Assembly earlier this week, Mamata said that her government was offered the controversial spyware for Rs 25 crore but “she had rejected it.” Mamata went on to add that the AP government had bought it when Naidu was the CM.

Nara Lokesh, son of Naidu and the IT minister during the previous TDP regime denied having bought the spyware and said that Mamata was “misinformed.”

"We have never purchased any spyware nor have we ever indulged in any illegal phone tapping," Lokesh, Telugu Desam Party's general secretary said.

"If we had resorted to such moves, Jaganmohan Reddy would not have come to power in 2019. I do not know whether Mamata indeed said that, and where, in what context. But if she did, she is certainly misinformed," Lokesh added.

The former minister agreed that they were approached by people offering to sell the Israeli NSO group's hacking software to the TDP government.

Also read: 'Pegasus was offered at Rs 25 cr, we refused it', claims Mamata

“But we rejected it. If the government had purchased the spyware, there would be a record of it,” Lokesh pointed out, adding that the YSRCP regime “would have targeted them long back, if there was any such deal.”

The YSRCP however, is targeting the TDP over the matter.

Ruling party MLA Ambati Rambabu said that “TDP's true colours were exposed after Mamata spilt beans.”

Ambati, YSRCP's official spokesperson, demanded the Central and state governments to probe the matter.

“TDP appears to be scared. The way it is reacting aggressively though we did not make any allegations related to Pegasus is raising doubts. (If they are not wrong) Naidu should condemn Mamata's statement and file a defamation suit against her,” Ambati told reporters on Friday.

The senior YSRCP leader expressed doubt that “Naidu might have bought spy software through private entities rather than government institutions.”

Another YSRCP MLA Abbaya Chowdary too demanded a thorough probe, saying that Pegasus allows any phone to be tapped, data hacked.

When TDP was in power, YSRCP had alleged that their leaders' phones were being tapped, the legislators reminded.

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