INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been urged to explain why it has spent billions in public cash on “the world’s most powerful cyber weapon” to spy on state institutions.

A New York Times report revealed on Friday that the government splashed out on Israeli Pegasus spyware and a missile system as part of an intelligence and weapons deal worth nearly $2bn in 2017.

The Indian government has however denied buying the spyware, which was allegedly used to infect phones of its opponents, rights activists and journalists in India. 

But India’s Supreme Court set up a three-member panel last October to investigate the alleged use of the surveillance software after reports revealed more than 1,000 Indian phone numbers were selected as being of interest to clients of the Israel-based NSO Group, the maker of the Pegasus spyware.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury demanded answers yesterday.

“The Modi government must explain on affidavit why it bought this cyber weapon, who gave permission for its usage, how were those targeted selected and who got these reports,” he said.

“Silence on such a critical issue only means an acceptance of its criminal activity,” the communist leader charged.

“Pegasus has been procured on public money to destroy our democracy. Spying on the Electoral Commission, political leaders, the Supreme Court and officers conducting sensitive investigations is a serious subversion of democracy,” Mr Yechury continued.

“Unacceptable. This government must go.”

India’s opposition Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of treason on Saturday for spying on the country’s “primary democratic institutions, politicians and public.” 

Fellow Congress politician Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Why did [the] Modi government act like the enemies of India and use a warfare weapon against Indian citizens?”