On Friday (July 30), Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate sparked a controversy after she accused PM Narendra Modi of spying on senior BJP leaders Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raja using the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware. Shrinate alleged that the Indian Prime Minister wanted to check ‘intimate content’ on the phones of female BJP leaders.
During a debate on News 18 on the issue of the baseless snooping scandal, the Congress spokesperson said, “Why is the government affixed to the phones of Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raje? Go and ask them once.” To this, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra intervened and asked Supriya Shrinate whether Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raja had complained to her about being spied upon. After being caught off guard, the Congress spokesperson claimed, “No, they are the victims. Ask them.” Making a bizarre allegation, Shrinate said that while the govt is not spying on any woman leader from Congress, the BJP govt is spying on its own party leaders.
Patra said, “I had asked her to give me the names of the Congress leaders who she (Shrinate) thinks have been under surveillance. But, she did not provide any names. She is instead accusing the BJP of spying on its own party leaders. This is perhaps the first time a party is accusing another party of internal surveillance.” While breaching all limits of civility, the Congress spokesperson smiled and asked, “I don’t know what do to want to check in women’s phone.” With a sinister smile, Shrinate suggested that the mobile phones of BJP leaders were being tracked for explicit content.
सुप्रिया श्रीनेत ने स्मृति ईरानी की जासूसी का आरोप लगाया.. और फिर छिड़ा सबसे बड़ा घमासान।#आर_पार #BJP #Congress @AMISHDEVGAN @sambitswaraj @SupriyaShrinate pic.twitter.com/LJwBZBftO5
— News18 India (@News18India) July 30, 2021
An infuriated Sambit Patra reacted, “Ask Rahul Gandhi about his activities in Bangkok (infamous for sex tourism). You will get to know everything… You have said 10 times that PM Modi wants to check out something about Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raja. How can you make such cheap comments despite being a woman? This is the height of vulgarity. What is this nonsense? I object to this kind of language.”
औरतों की जासूसी के आरोप पर संबित पात्रा ने सुप्रिया श्रीनेत को कैसे ज़ोरदार जवाब दिया।#आर_पार #BJP #Congress @AMISHDEVGAN @sambitswaraj @SupriyaShrinate pic.twitter.com/eTZ4vLOrYz
— News18 India (@News18India) July 30, 2021
Netizens slam Congress spokesperson for objectionable language
While slamming Supriya Shrinate, one Twitter user wrote, “She is saying Modi has used Pegasus to see ‘ something” in Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raje thru their mobiles. This is below the belt comments about the PM.”
#ShameOnSupriya
— Sulakshya Singh प्रजापति ?? (@sulakshyasingh) July 31, 2021
She is saying Modi has used Pegasus to see ‘ something” in Smriti Irani and Vasundhara Raje thru their mobiles.This is below the belt comments about the PM. pic.twitter.com/yVumF4uczI
BJP leader Amrita Rathod condemned the foul language and added, “This is too much, unacceptable.”
This is just too much, unacceptable!#ShameOnSupriya https://t.co/GizPrChQr1
— Dr. Amrita Rathod BJP (@AmritaRathodBJP) July 31, 2021
Another Twitter user pointed out, “This woman has crossed her lines many times in the past as well, why are such people even called on debates is not comprehensible by me #ShameOnSupriya. “
This woman has crossed her lines many times in the past as well, why are such people even called on debates is not comprehensible by me #ShameOnSupriya @AMISHDEVGAN @sambitswaraj https://t.co/18qvCBLui3
— S N ?? (@NaSukoon) July 30, 2021
One Vikas Tiwari said, “This is beyond disgusting. It is one thing to make a logical argument but to resort to abuse such cheap level talks on national tv shows where Congress has reached under Rahul Gandhi. Compliment Sambit Patra for his restraint but this is just too much.”
Trends?
— Vikas Tiwari (@Vikas_TiwariBJP) July 30, 2021
This is beyond disgusting
It is 1 thing to make a logical argument but to resort to abuse such cheap level talks on national tv shows where Congress has reached under @RahulGandhi
Compliment @sambitswaraj for his restraint but this is just too much #ShameOnSupriya https://t.co/eUZOG45I2z
It must be pointed out that Supriya Shrinate is a former NewsX journalist and was appointed as a Congress spokesperson in 2019. She had contested unsuccessfully from the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency, a seat once held by her late father Harsh Vardhan.
