The Congress on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led government over a media report which claimed that the Centre is looking to acquire a new spyware system, alleging that a “conspiracy” to hack phones of people by taking foreign help ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls has come to the fore. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh‘s attack on the government came over a Financial Times report which claimed that the Centre is looking for new spyware with a lower profile than the controversial Pegasus system and is seeking to spend up to USD 120 million through new spyware contracts.

“Modi government spied on citizens, Opposition, judiciary, election commissioner, journalists through Pegasus with foreign help before last elections. Now before the elections, once again conspiracy to hack phones of the people of country by taking foreign help has come to the fore,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

This is a direct attack on democracy, he alleged.

About a dozen competitors are expected to join the bidding process, stepping into the void created by the pressure on NSO, the Israeli makers of Pegasus, from human rights groups and the administration of US President Joe Biden, the Financial Times reported.