BJP launches nationwide counterattack on rivals over Pegasus row

The BJP Tuesday fielded its senior leaders across the country including state chief ministers to blunt the Opposition attack over the Pegasus spyware issue which has snowballed into a major controversy.

BJP chief ministers including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (MP), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Vijay Rupani (Gujarat), Jai Ram Thakur (Himachal Pradesh) and Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand) were among those who addressed the media to hit back at the Congress and other Opposition parties which have slammed the Modi government over the snooping row.

Senior BJP state leaders, including its state presidents and leaders of opposition, also targeted the Opposition.

Also read: Pegasus row: Assam CM seeks ban on Amnesty's activities in India

While the Opposition Tuesday stalled Lok Sabha proceedings over the issue, the BJP categorically rejected the charge and accused its rivals of maligning the country's image in league with international forces inimical to India.

The Congress has demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Lashing out at the opposition Congress and international organisations for alleging the use of the Pegasus spyware to snoop upon on politicians, journalists and others in India, Shah had Monday said such "obstructers" and "disrupters" were only aiming to humiliate India at the world stage.

Also read — Pegasus snooped on Karnataka ministers, their aides just before Congress-JD(S) government toppled in 2019: Report

The row erupted after a global consortium of media houses published a report claiming that Israeli spyware Pegasus was used in several countries including in India for possible spying on activists, politicians, judges and journalists among others.

While the Opposition has been attacking the government over the issue, the government has denied any involvement in the entire matter.