New Delhi: The Congress upped its attack against the Modi government on Saturday (January 29) after a media report claimed India purchased the Pegasus spyware from Israel as part of a defence deal in 2017.

Claiming that the government had “deceived” Parliament, the party said it will raise the issue in the House which opens Monday.

Addressing a press conference, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said Congress had raised the issue in Parliament last year and it will raise it again. The Pegasus issue had rocked the Monsoon session of Parliament last year with the Opposition parties disrupting both the Houses demanding a discussion on the scandal.

The Congress leader said the BJP machinery ‘engaged in a massive strategy to also dupe the people of the country’, adding that it is now clear that the Modi government “purchased the illegal and unconstitutional” spyware from Israel and used it against opposition leaders, the judicial, the media and its own functionaries.

“Brazen hijack of democracy and act of treason. Modi govt purchased Pegasus in 2017 along with other military technologies as centerpiece of a package, including weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly US$ 2 Bn from Israel during PM Modi’s visit,” Surjewala was quoted.

“It is now very clear that Parliament was deceived by the Modi government, the Supreme Court was also duped and the people of India were lied to by the Modi government and its ministers,” he added.

The Congress spokesperson asked the apex court to take sou moto cognizance in the matter. “We will urge upon the Supreme Court to suo moto now take note and issue appropriate penal proceedings against this government for attempting to deliberately and knowingly deceive the Supreme Court.”