'I had Pegasus on my phone': Rahul Gandhi tears into BJP at Cambridge

Rahul Gandhi made a bold statement during a lecture at Cambridge University, accusing the central government of attacking the fundamental underpinnings of Indian democracy. The Congress MP, who is currently a visiting fellow at the Cambridge Judge Business School, also claimed that the government has been using Israeli spyware Pegasus to spy on him.

Gandhi's lecture, entitled ‘Learning to Listen in the 21st Century’, was delivered to a group of students at the prestigious university. He spoke about the challenges facing Indian democracy and the need to defend it against attacks on its institutional framework.

"I myself had Pegasus on my phone. A large number of politicians had Pegasus on their phones. I was told to be careful when I speak on the phone,” Gandhi told the audience. He went on to accuse the government of controlling the media and judiciary, surveillance, intimidating, attacking minorities, Dalits and Tribals and shutting down dissent.

Gandhi's speech at Cambridge is part of a week-long UK tour, during which he is scheduled to hold closed-door sessions on Big Data, Democracy, and India-China relations. The politician's comments have sparked a heated debate in India, with many questioning the government's use of spyware to monitor its citizens.

As the situation develops, many will be watching closely to see how the government responds to Gandhi's accusations.