PEGASUS STORMED THE PARLIAMENT
(The Quiver) : Pegasus again stormed in India. The Pegasus spyware controversy started today with when Opposition Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi ripped into the BJP-led centre after an investigative piece by a US newspaper said India bought Israeli spyware in a $2 billion deal in 2017.
The New York Times said the Israeli spyware Pegasus and a missile system were the “centrepieces” of the $2 billion deal in 2017 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel – the first by any Indian Prime Minister.
The spyware, Pegasus, made by Israeli firm NSO is the centre of a big controversy because of its illegal surveillance against the public, military and civil officers, politicians, activists, judges and journalists.
Meanwhile ,The Defence Ministry confirmed in parliament that it has not made any transaction with the Israeli firm NSO. A technical committee appointed by the Supreme Court earlier this month sought information from people who suspect their phones were targeted.
The Congress has alleged the Pegasus spyware can hack into mobile phones, activate microphones and cameras and take photos.
Rahul Gandhi charged PM Modi by twitting today, “Modi government bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians and public. Government functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary all were targeted by phone tapping. This is treason. Modi government has committed treason”.
“The Modi government bought Pegasus to spy on our primary democratic institutions, politicians, the public, government functionaries, opposition leaders, armed forces, judiciary, all were targeted with phone tapping. This is treason,” Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters today.
“The Modi government lied to the Supreme Court when it was directly questioned about the purchase and deployment of Pegasus. In a sworn affidavit, the government said ‘unequivocally we deny any and all of the allegations made against the government’,” Mr Surjewala said.
“Data from SMS to family photos to WhatsApp chats is stolen in illegal ways and sent to Modi’s agencies. All these can be used against you,” Mr Surjewala said.
He also alleged the spyware was used against Rahul Gandhi and five of his staff, HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah, HD Kumaraswamy, Vasundhara Raje, Praveen Togadia, Smiriti Irani’s officer on special duty, Supreme Court judges, Alok Verma, KK Sharma, Jitendra Kumar Ojha, lawyers, activists and journalists.
