Arvinder Singh Deol, Ranchi
The BJP has long been embroiled in controversies involving the use of intelligence agencies and special branches to allegedly snoop on political opponents. High-profile cases like the Pegasus spyware scandal and the Gujarat “Snoopgate” affair have fueled concerns about privacy violations under their governance. In the Pegasus scandal, it was revealed that the phones of several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were potentially targeted by spyware, sparking a nationwide outcry. The Gujarat snooping scandal, under the leadership of then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saw accusations of illegal surveillance of a woman, allegedly orchestrated by top officials in his government.
Similarly, during the 2019 Karnataka political crisis, the BJP was accused of tapping the phones of senior Congress-JD(S) leaders to destabilize the coalition government. Now, in a twist of irony, the BJP is accusing the Jharkhand government of spying on its leader, Champai Soren. This accusation comes even as the BJP’s own history is rife with allegations of political espionage, raising questions about the party’s commitment to democratic norms and privacy rights. The BJP’s selective outrage highlights the double standards in Indian politics, where the accusers often have a history of the very practices they condemn.
