Rahul Gandhi has alleged that his phone was tapped in the Pegasus spyware controversy, demanding a Supreme Court probe against Narendra Modi.

“My phone was tapped. It’s not a matter of Rahul Gandhi’s privacy. I’m an Oppn leader, I raise the voices of people. This is an attack on voices of the people,” Gandhi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah used the Pegasus spyware against India and its institutions, and “the only word for this is treason”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Friday.

Demanding the resignation of the Home Minister, the Congress leader added, “Home Minister should resign & there should be a Supreme Court inquiry against Narendra Modi.“

“The only word for this is treason. The matter has to be investigated,” the former Congress president said.

Also Read: Pegasus row: Why commercialisation of digital surveillance is a problem

Addressing reporters at Vijay Chowk, he said all his phones have been tapped, including his friends’, as he was informed by intelligence people that this is being done.

“Pegasus is classified by the Israeli state as a weapon and that weapon is supposed to be used against terrorists. The prime minister and the home minister have used this weapon against the Indian state and our institutions. They have used it politically, they have used it in Karnataka..,” he told reporters.

“A judicial inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court should be conducted and the home minister must resign,” he told reporters.

Over the past few days, a consortium of international websites has revealed that more than 50,000 phone numbers were targeted by a spyware created by NSO Group, an Israeli software company. On the list were 300 verified phone numbers in India, including those of ministers, opposition leaders, journalists and activists.

Also Read: Pegasus spying controversy: What we know so far

As names started trickling out — Rahul Gandhi, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, Trinamool leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee– the issue made it to Parliament, social media and prime time debates prompting a quick and vehement denial by the government. Interestingly, the day IT minister Vaishnaw defended the government on this issue in Lok Sabha, his name figured on the list of potential spying targets.