Cong accuses BJP of buying ‘Pegasus-like software’ ‘Cognyte’ for Rs 986 cr
New Delhi: Hitting out at the government, the Congress on Monday alleged that the Union government is trying to buy a Pegasus-type spying software called ‘Cognyte’ at a cost of Rs 986 crore and the software will be used to snoop on politicians, media, activists, and NGOs.
Questioning the Centre on reports of a new spyware being acquired, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “Has the Modi government now bought a new spyware to snoop, spy and surveil individuals and institutions?”
Addressing a press conference, Khera said, “Since Pegasus has become infamous, the government with ‘minimum governance-maximum surveillance’ is looking for a new spyware in the market.”
“I understand that the ruling dispensation hates the Opposition, but they used spying software on their own ministers,” Khera alleged.
“This country’s ‘2 spies’ do not trust anyone, not even the law and media. That’s why they are spending crores of taxpayers’ money for buying spy software and Israeli technology. They are doing this because the emperor fears that his hollow palace of lies might collapse from one of our truths,” he said.
Khera also highlighted that many people didn’t know much about Cognyte but it worked similar to Pegasus and was less discussed among the media. However, a US law firm stated that Cognyte “regularly targets journalists, opposition leaders and their families and uses unethical methods to furnish information about them,” he said, adding, “the Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund had dumped Cognite’s stocks over irregularities.”
Posing questions before the government, Khera said, “We want to ask the government which ministry has been given the task to buy this Cognyte software and how much was spent on it. We also urge them to tell us on what rationale this software is being finalised about which very little information is known.”
“Is the Modi government in advanced stages of deliberations to finalise new spyware, which is lesser known, low key and not blacklisted by various foreign countries? Is it true that the Ministry of Defence has also started working for a ‘Request for Proposal’ (RFP) regarding the same?” Khera asked.
