The latest WhatsApp snoop report is bringing in severe criticism for the Narendra Modi government. The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Modi government has been “caught snooping” and urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the issue and hold the Centre accountable.

The Congress also referred to the apex court’s landmark verdict in 2017 which held that privacy is a fundamental right. The government agencies have passed a number of directives for mandatory linking of Aadhar card with driving license, PAN card, bank accounts, voter card and e-KYC for several services. In 2017, linking of Aadhar card with the mobile number was also made mandatory. However, this directive was later quashed by the apex court.

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The latest breach in users’ privacy on WhatsApp came at a time when the government is mulling linking of social media profiles with Aadhar card.

“Modi Govt caught snooping! Appalling but not Surprising! After all, BJP Govt- 1. Fought against our right to privacy. 2. Set up a multi crore Surveillance Structure until stopped by SC. SC must take immediate cognisance and issue notice to BJP government,” Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet.

The Congress slammed the government for treating its citizens like criminals in their own country. “A government that spies on journalists/activists/Opposition leaders and treats its own citizens like criminals has lost the right to lead in our democracy. We urge the SC to take suo motu cognisance of these illegal activities and to hold this government to account,” he said in another tweet.

In a startling revelation, Facebook-owned popular messaging platform WhatsApp has said that Indian journalists and human rights activists were among those globally spooked upon by unnamed entities using an Israeli spyware Peagasus.

WhatsApp spokesperson said that it was suing NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm, that is reportedly behind the technology that helped unnamed entities’ spies to hack into phones of roughly 1,400 users. The affected WhatsApp users span across four continents and include diplomats, political dissidents, journalists and senior government officials.

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While WhatsApp declined to reveal the identities and “exact number” of those targeted for surveillance in India, WhatsApp spokesperson told The Indian Express that a significant number of persons were hit by the surveillance.

“Indian journalists and human rights activists have been the target of surveillance and while I cannot reveal their identities and the exact number, I can say that it is not an insignificant number,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

WhatsApp did not reveal on whose behest the phones of journalists and activists across the world were targeted.