Vijayawada: House Committee to probe into Pegasus spyware issue

Highlights:

♦ Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy says the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mentioned that Chandrababu Naidu purchased the Pegasus spyware software

♦ Alleges that the TDP planned to use the software during 2019 Assembly elections to keep a vigil on voters to know which party they were supporting and had plotted to remove their names from voters list if they were against the TDP

♦ However, former Intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao at a separate press conference says the earlier TDP govt did not purchase Pegasus software

♦ The State DGP office also clarified that no Pegasus software was purchased till August 2021, he says

Vijayawada: State Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram on Monday announced appointment of a House Committee to inquire into Pegasus spyware issue. He said the names of the committee members will be announced in a day or two.

When the discussion on Pegasus issue started in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy stated that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mentioned that Chandrababu Naidu purchased the Pegasus spyware software.

He said Pegasus issue came to light in 2016. He said that the software poses a threat to personal information of people and the TDP planned to use the software during 2019 Assembly elections to keep a vigil on voters to know which party they were supporting and it had plotted to remove their names from the voters list if they were against the TDP.

He said that at that time several YSRCP leaders including Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy filed complaints over tapping of their phones. He demanded appointment of a House Committee to inquire into Pegasus issue.

MLA Abbaiah Chowdary said that Chandrababu Naidu posed threat to democratic values by using the software. MLA Gudivada Amarnath demanded an inquiry into the Pegasus issue. Ambati Rambabu said people should know about the Pegasus issue and the role of TDP in Pegasus issue. He said an intelligence chief during TDP regime also played a key role on Pegasus issue.

Earlier, Government Chief Whip Srikanth Reddy gave notice for a discussion on Pegasus issue and demanded for appointment of a House committee to inquire into the issue.

Meanwhile, speaking to mediapersons at the Press Club here, former intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao said that there was no truth on the allegations made against by the YSRCP on the Pegasus issue. He made it clear that till May 2019, AP government did not purchase or use Pegasus spy software.

He said there were no phone tapping incidents either. He also pointed out that the State DGP office also clarified that no Pegasus software was purchased till August 2021. Venkateswara Rao expressed concern over his name being linked to the Pegasus issue.