Rahul Gandhi attacks government on WhatsApp snooping row

New Delhi: As WhatsApp snooping of human rights activists and journalists in India reached the political corridors on Thursday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi added a Rafale angle to the row.

"The government seeking WhatsApp's response on who bought Pegasus to spy on Indian citizens is like Modi asking Dassault who made money on the sale of RAFALE jets to India," tweeted Rahul Gandhi, who is on a meditation visit abroad.

As Facebook-owned WhatsApp sued Israeli cyber intelligence company NSO Group this week that exploited its video calling system to snoop on 1,400 selected users globally, details emerged on Thursday that there were "insignificant number" of Indian human rights activists and journalists among those who were targeted.

Earlier on Thursday, the Congress accused the government of being behind the entire controversy and demanded an investigation monitored by the Supreme Court.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said his party suspects that even judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, besides many opposition leaders, have been snooped upon.

"We suspect that many opposition leaders and judges of the Supreme Court and high courts are in this list," Surjewala said.