WhatsApp snoopgate: Mamata Banerjee says her phone was also tapped

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that she had evidence that the Centre was tapping her phones and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "take care" of the issue.

"It is a fact that Israel NSO has supplied this machine to the government. My phone was tapped and I know about it as I have the evidence with me," she told reporters here.

Reacting to the recent reports of WhatsApp admitting to a breach of privacy of users in India who were target of surveillance by operators using spyware Pegasus of Israeli company NSO, the West Bengal chief minister said that the central government was spying on politicians, media persons, lawyers, social activists and other important personalities.

"Government is using this Israel NSO to watch the activities of politicians, media persons, lawyers and judges, the IAS, IPS officers, social activists, and other important personalities. This is wrong you cannot capture the privacy. Whatsapp was safe but even now it listens to your talk and your messages are no longer safe. So no landline, mobile phones, and Whatsapp messages are safe. There is spying going on."

"When government works it has to give instructions to its officials and sometimes this work is done after office hours but now when our messages are recorded then how our government will be able to give instructions to officials. I request the Prime Minister to take care of this issue," she said.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Centre and more than one state government was aware of the security breach.

"The government has done that and one or two state governments are involved in this. I cannot give the names right now but I know that state governments have also done this," the West Bengal chief minister said.

Mamata Banerjee said that she has heard that "the machine can be record messages and calls within 10 km range."

On being asked whether she will go for a Supreme Court-monitored probe, she said, "We have respect for the Supreme Court. When everything is lost then justice comes from the top court, let us hope so."