TMC analysts recording even WhatsApp calls of Goan politicians using spyware tech

MARGAO, GOA: Keeping the option of prospective blackmail open for the future, so-called political analysts from Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC, or some other agency, allegedly working for the Trinamool Congress – or could be working for another political group, but falsely claiming to be working for TMC to cover their tracks – who have been camping in Goa for the last few weeks, are spreading venom and not only creating a lot of confusion and distrust in Goan political circles, they are recording all conversations, with politicians and poltical journalists, including WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal calls, with a view to possibly use the recordings in future.

Goan politicians by and far are friends and irrespective of the party they belong to, be it BJP or Congress or MGP or GFP, can sit down for a cup of tea together, after hectic campaigning or during public festivities and share a joke or two.

For the typical Goan politician, politics is important, but not more important than family life and personal friendships and they normally refrain from hitting below the belt. There is also an unwritten code of Omerta among Goan politicians that prevents personal secrets, family affairs and children being dragged into political slugfests. But all this may change as professional managers, lobbyists and analysts, from outside Goa, begin to take charge.

With the entry of the TMC and AAP aggressively campaigning in Goa, a lot of things have changed. The Assembly polls 2022 will not be the same as 2012, when FOGG managed to give the BJP a thumping victory. 2022 will be the year when spyware and tech counterintelligence will be deployed by politicians.

TMC
strategists supported by tech experts who have parked themselves in Goa, are allegedly using spyware apps to record even data conversations, VoIP, DoIP and voice VPN conversations made or used by APPS like WhatsApps, Signal, Telegram, etc.

A BJP leader from North Goa said that the TMC’s reps were behaving like “pimps”, making indecent offers to BJP leaders, offering money and other illegit favors, including women at resorts outside Goa.

According to an IANS report, a former Congress MLA Agnelo Fernandes of Calangute on Tuesday said that he had received feelers from the TMC over the last few days.

“I have been with the Congress through thick and thin. Feelers have been sent to us, saying Congress wants to take (Ports Minister Michael Lobo) Michael, why are you with the Congress? But I refused to participate in such a conversation,” Fernandes told news agency IANS on Tuesday.

Another sitting Congress MLA from South Goa was also approached by the TMC’s “dalals and agents” to quit the Congress and join the TMC. He realized a bit too late that his WhatsApp voice conversation with a TMC handler was recorded and is now with them. “Fortunately, I didn’t say anything that I couldn’t say on a public forum, so I am not really scared, he told this reporter.

While there was a huge hue and cry in India over the suspected use of the Pegasus spyware software from the Israeli company NSO Group, by some intelligence agency to spy on conversations of politicians, journalists and bureaucrats, there are many more similar spyware software easily available that can penetrate your smartphone and obtain root or administrator access of your handheld, recording all your conversations, messages, location, etc. Such easily available software may not be as advanced and sophisticated as the Pegasus spyware, but still manage to compromise your device and get the work done, nevertheless.

It is a known fact that political agencies used similar software and spyware during the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019, and at least 5 Mumbai-based political or election management agencies hired by various politicians were clandestinely tracking locations of various politicians. Such tracking and monitoring software are available with the Cyber Crime departments of every police force in every state and more often than not, they are misused by the ruling party and by certain officers friendly with certain politicians.

Goans may recollect how some Goa police officials about two years ago, were accused by a woman social worker of allegedly sharing her mobile location and coordinates with another controversial woman activist.

Reports about the Trinamool Congress’ possible foray in the Goa polls comes at a time when a several member-strong team of I-PAC, a political lobbying agency headed by political strategist Prashant Kishor has been in Goa for the last couple of weeks to assess the political ground reality in the poll-bound state, news agency IANS said.

The team has been meeting politicians, journalists, social activists, businessmen and a cross section of the state’s population and in most cases recording phone calls.

A section of the local Goa media including websites mentioned the name of former two-time Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro, as one of the potential targets of Mamata Banerjee’s party.

Responding to the reports, Faleiro told IANS: “Lot of people are doing surveys. They are meeting all the leaders”.

Either the TMC is serious about contesting polls in Goa and it should make it’s intention clear, or its agents should stop trying to pimp their way in, the North Goa BJP leader said.