More Spyware Ahead Of 2024: P Chidambaram's Swipe At Centre Over Pegasus
NDTV
"The last deal was for $2 billion. India can do better this time. If we get more sophisticated spyware ahead of the 2024 elections, we can give them even $4 billion," Mr Chidambaram tweeted
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram mocked the government today over the fresh row over the Pegasus spyware triggered by a report in the US daily New York Times, saying the government can get fresh spyware ahead of the 2024 elections at double the alleged cost. Union VK Singh, who had called the NYT "supari media" in response to the report, was not spared either. PM said that it is the best time to set new goals in the India-Israel relationshipOf course, it is the best time to ask Israel if they have any advanced version of the Pegasus spyware The last deal was for $2 billion. India can do better this time. If we get more sophisticated spyware ahead of the 2024 elections, we can give them even $4 billion
"I doubt if he knows the role played by the two newspapers in exposing the Watergate scandal and the Pentagon Papers If he does not wish to read history, he can at least watch the movies!" Mr Chidambaram tweeted.
Earlier this week, the New York Times reported yesterday that the Pegasus spyware and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly $2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.
In the report titled 'The Battle for the World's Most Powerful Cyberweapon', NYT referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017 -- a first by an Indian Prime Minister. It also linked the deal to India's vote at the UN's Economic and Social Council in support of Israel to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation. This also was a first for India, which has been traditionally supporting the Palestinian cause in view of Muslim sentiments in the country.
