Pegasus spyware controversy: Pravin Togadia demands a three-judge panel to probe
Former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia on Tuesday demanded a three-judge panel to probe into the Pegasus phone surveillance (SnoopGate), in which his name was also figured. Firebrand Hindutva leader Pravin Togadia, an old colleague of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who later turned his arch-rival, demanded in a statement that Government must tell who gave permission to the Israeli company NSO Technologies to use their spyware in tapping Indian citizen’s numbers including him.
Togadia also asked how come international NGO Amnesty International got the data of snooping by the NSO using Pegasus software and the names of the tapped persons and their phone numbers. The rebel leader was responding to the media reports that his phone was also on the surveillance list.[1]
Pravin Togadia and Prime Minister Modi were close buddies during their Right-Wing politics till 2000.
“Unimaginable! Sure that the Government would investigate:
- If Israel’s NSO company’s Pegasus snooped into Indian people’s phones, then with whose permission?
- How come international private NGO Amnesty International got the data of snooping and the names with phones?
- What is the guarantee that apart from the mentioned 300 people, many more Indian citizen’s phones were not traced by putting their lives in danger?
- If the Government has not done all this, then who did it and why?
Until these questions are properly investigated by the three Judges’ panel set up by all states, no point in commenting on anybody, but it is very sad what has happened. We appeal to all to maintain peace,” said Pravin Togadia in a statement released to media.
Togadia and Prime Minister Modi were close buddies during their Right-Wing politics till 2000. But from 2005, Hindutva hardliner Togadia started attacking Modi in 2008 after Modi, as Gujarat Chief Minister ordered the removal of temples for road widening. That time the VHP Supremo Ashok Singhal fired Modi, who had returned to the State from abroad, cancelling his foreign trip and demolition of temples. After Modi became Prime Minister, it was a well-known fact that he played a role in the removal of Pravin Togadia from VHP in late 2017. Togadia had alleged several times that Modi was trying to eliminate him, while Modi kept silent on the vitriolic allegations of an old friend turned foe Togadia. In a recent BBC interview, Togadia minced no words on Modi, after floating another Hindu outfit named ‘Antararashtriya Hindu Parishad.’
Firebrand speaker Pravin Togadia is a renowned Cancer Surgeon too. ‘The Week’ magazine has chronicled the good friendship (traveling together on a motorbike in teens working for the Hindutva cause) that turned bitter between Pravin Togadia and Narendra Modi.[2]
It is a well-known fact that Pravin Togadia knew very well who is behind the tapping of his phone number. Somehow, he did not name the person who ordered the tapping of his phone.
References:
[1] Is Pegasus phone tapping going to be Narendra Modi’s Watergate moment? – Jul 20, 2021, PGurus.com
[2] Friends-turned-foes:The tale of bitter war between Modi and Togadia – Feb 03, 2018, The Week
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