India’s Watergate Scandal

One of the most famous political scandals in the World occurred in the United States in 1974. It is called the Watergate Scandal. It occurred when the President of the United States spied on his political opponents and then used Government resources to cover his act up. The entire United States rose up against him and President Richard Nixon was forced to resign.

Something very similar happened in India last week. India was shocked this week as it was revealed to us that at least 300 phones of Indian citizens were infected by a surveillance system called Pegasus that could take over the instrument and transmit information back to its masters. Our leader Shri Rahul Gandhi is among those who has been subjected to this surveillance. Let us for a moment set aside our outrage at the violation of the privacy of a leader of our Party and recognize what this episode means for the Country, how it is being run and where it is headed.

NSO, the maker of Pegasus, only enters into contracts with the Governments of Countries. Therefore, the master behind this spy operation on our citizens is none other than Modi ji and his government. This is not simply another information gathering operation where Modi ji uses the Government apparatus to get some information on political opponents. The reported cost per number to be spied on is over 1 cr. So, they laid out at least Rs. 300 crores and paid it to a foreign firm to monitor Indian citizens. Where this data goes to and which foreign locations it is stored in is completely unknown. There is obviously no Constitutional check or balance of any kind about who has access to the data and how the data may be used. Who are these people being spied on? Are they suspected terrorists, criminal masterminds or other potential threats to society? No. These people aren’t a threat to society, the only thing they threaten is the nefarious agenda of the Modi government. It is therefore not surprising that politicians, including those in Modi Ji’s own Party, make the list. Journalists who dare to speak the truth and have refused to bow down before the government are on the list as well. Activists and even academics whose presentation of facts is a problem for the government are being spied on. But among all these names, one set of names stands out for the sheer inhumanity and lowliness of the politics it represents. The Supreme Court staffer who accused ex Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment and her family were also spied upon. What does this say about the people in power? What kind of human beings spy on the victim of sexual harassment and her family? How low is Modi Ji and his Government willing to stoop for their politics? Where will such people end up taking our Country? What we have witnessed is nothing short of a criminal misuse of the power of the State by the Prime Minister. The Nation must make him pay.

Jai Congress. Jai Hind. Jai Jagat.