While the ruling BJD continues to maintain mum on the Pegasus controversy, the Congress and BJP, under instructions from their central leadership, held media conferences here.
The BJP state unit president Samir Mohanty alleged that Congress and other opposition parties had joined hands with foreign agencies to malign the Narendra Modi government. There is no evidence to show that phones were hacked, he said.
It is shameful that on a day when the PM was introducing newly inducted ministers, the majority of whom are women, Dalits, and professionals, the Congress-led Opposition indulged in disruptive tactics.
They are unable to tolerate the success of PM Modi and the development that is taking place in the country, charged Mohanty.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee led by its chief Niranjan Patnaik charged that the snoop gate has exposed the BJP and its game plan of winning elections and toppling Congress governments. NSO has categorically stated that it provides spyware to government agencies alone and not to any private party.
Home Minister Amit Shah must resign and a Supreme Court-monitored independent probe should be ordered, said Patnaik.
Democracy has been destroyed and under the Modi regime India is fast turning into a surveillance state, he alleged.
The Congress submitted a memorandum to the Governor in this regard. Patnaik also addressed the newly constituted media cell and social media cell of the party and asked them to be proactive in engaging with the print and electronic media as well web portals.
Interestingly, when asked, a BJD MP said “ we are silent on the issue”. Clearly, the BJD does not want to join forces with the Opposition parties in parliament.