News Analysis India

Tag: Pegasus

  • ‘Tell us how many drug mafias you caught through Pegasus’: Congress MP asks Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday took exception to Congress member Gaurav Gogoi’s allegation that government snoops on politicians with Israeli spyware Pegasus and asked him to give proof of the claim, saying the house was not meant for “reckless politics.”

    Congress member Gaurav Gogoi, while participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on drug menace on Wednesday, sought to know from the government about the kind of surveillance mechanism it has in place on the country’s land and sea borders, as well as international airports, to check the entry of contraband into the country.

    The Congress member also sought to know from the Home Minister as to what kind of surveillance and intelligence mechanisms are in place to check the arms smuggling, human trafficking, and smuggling of animal parts at the India-Myanmar border.

    ‘”You snoop on us again and again, install Pegasus on our phones and that of the journalists,” Gogoi charged. “You tell us how many drug mafias you have caught through Pegasus so far,” Gogoi asked Shah.

    Objecting to the Congress member’s remarks, Shah asked Gogoi to submit in the house the proof of his accusation. “He has levelled a very serious allegation that Pegasus has been installed in his mobile. He must submit here the basis (of his accusation) in the House. Either his words are removed or he must submit the basis,” Shah said.

    “The House is for serious discussion, not for reckless politics,” he added.

    ALSO READ | No proof that Pegasus spyware used in phones examined: SC; says Centre didn’t cooperate in probe

    Gogoi urged Speaker Om Birla to issue an order if he made any mistake in asking the government to tell the House if it uses Pegasus for surveillance or not.

    “He has said (Pegasus was) used on him. He must submit facts. He can’t just talk like this. Rest the Supreme Court has decided,” Shah said referring to the apex court’s decision on the Pegasus spyware matter.

    “What can we do if you also do not read like your leader,” he also said, hitting out at Gogoi over his remarks Intervening, the Speaker told the members that it will enhance the dignity of the House if they make their points with facts and proof.

    “This is my request,” he added.

    READ HERE | Govt had something to hide, says Rahul Gandhi on Centre’s non-cooperation in Pegasus probe

    NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday took exception to Congress member Gaurav Gogoi’s allegation that government snoops on politicians with Israeli spyware Pegasus and asked him to give proof of the claim, saying the house was not meant for “reckless politics.”

    Congress member Gaurav Gogoi, while participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on drug menace on Wednesday, sought to know from the government about the kind of surveillance mechanism it has in place on the country’s land and sea borders, as well as international airports, to check the entry of contraband into the country.

    The Congress member also sought to know from the Home Minister as to what kind of surveillance and intelligence mechanisms are in place to check the arms smuggling, human trafficking, and smuggling of animal parts at the India-Myanmar border.

    ‘”You snoop on us again and again, install Pegasus on our phones and that of the journalists,” Gogoi charged. “You tell us how many drug mafias you have caught through Pegasus so far,” Gogoi asked Shah.

    Objecting to the Congress member’s remarks, Shah asked Gogoi to submit in the house the proof of his accusation. “He has levelled a very serious allegation that Pegasus has been installed in his mobile. He must submit here the basis (of his accusation) in the House. Either his words are removed or he must submit the basis,” Shah said.

    “The House is for serious discussion, not for reckless politics,” he added.

    ALSO READ | No proof that Pegasus spyware used in phones examined: SC; says Centre didn’t cooperate in probe

    Gogoi urged Speaker Om Birla to issue an order if he made any mistake in asking the government to tell the House if it uses Pegasus for surveillance or not.

    “He has said (Pegasus was) used on him. He must submit facts. He can’t just talk like this. Rest the Supreme Court has decided,” Shah said referring to the apex court’s decision on the Pegasus spyware matter.

    “What can we do if you also do not read like your leader,” he also said, hitting out at Gogoi over his remarks Intervening, the Speaker told the members that it will enhance the dignity of the House if they make their points with facts and proof.

    “This is my request,” he added.

    READ HERE | Govt had something to hide, says Rahul Gandhi on Centre’s non-cooperation in Pegasus probe

  • Govt had something to hide, says Rahul Gandhi on Centre’s non-cooperation in Pegasus probe

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With a Supreme Court-appointed panel stating the Centre did not cooperate in the Pegasus probe, Congress Thursday alleged the government by its action has made it clear it has “something deeper to hide” and wants to crush democracy.

    The apex court on Thursday said the technical panel appointed by it to probe the unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in five mobile phones out of the 29 examined but it could not be concluded that it was due to the Israeli spyware.

    After perusing the report submitted by former apex court Justice R V Raveendran, Chief Justice N V Ramana also noted that the Central government did not cooperate with the Pegasus probe.

    “PM and his government’s non-cooperation with the SC appointed committee is an acceptance that they had something deeper to hide and want to crush democracy,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

    PM and his govt’s non-cooperation with the SC appointed committee is an acceptance that they had something deeper to hide and want to crush democracy. #Pegasus
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 25, 2022
    Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, “Everybody knows this weapon was used and it dented democracy. This weapon is against the law and Constitution. How can they (the government) answer? Sometimes not answering is also an answer, the government has made it clear (by not giving answers) that they used Pegasus against democracy.”

    “By staying silent, the government has “made it clear that it used the Pegasus spyware against Rahul Gandhi, other opposition leaders, scientists, election commissioner, registrar of the Supreme Court, civil society activists and senior journalists,” he claimed.

    “I hope the Supreme Court will treat this not giving of answer as an answer and take strict action against the government in this matter.

    We have been asking from day one why did the government use Pegasus and under what law,” he said.

    Congress spokesperson Vallabh questioned how a weapon which is used against terrorists and enemy of the state was used by the government “to weaken democracy, executive and the judiciary”.

    “That is a weapon to dent our democracy, Constitution,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: With a Supreme Court-appointed panel stating the Centre did not cooperate in the Pegasus probe, Congress Thursday alleged the government by its action has made it clear it has “something deeper to hide” and wants to crush democracy.

    The apex court on Thursday said the technical panel appointed by it to probe the unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in five mobile phones out of the 29 examined but it could not be concluded that it was due to the Israeli spyware.

    After perusing the report submitted by former apex court Justice R V Raveendran, Chief Justice N V Ramana also noted that the Central government did not cooperate with the Pegasus probe.

    “PM and his government’s non-cooperation with the SC appointed committee is an acceptance that they had something deeper to hide and want to crush democracy,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

    PM and his govt’s non-cooperation with the SC appointed committee is an acceptance that they had something deeper to hide and want to crush democracy. #Pegasus
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 25, 2022
    Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, “Everybody knows this weapon was used and it dented democracy. This weapon is against the law and Constitution. How can they (the government) answer? Sometimes not answering is also an answer, the government has made it clear (by not giving answers) that they used Pegasus against democracy.”

    “By staying silent, the government has “made it clear that it used the Pegasus spyware against Rahul Gandhi, other opposition leaders, scientists, election commissioner, registrar of the Supreme Court, civil society activists and senior journalists,” he claimed.

    “I hope the Supreme Court will treat this not giving of answer as an answer and take strict action against the government in this matter.

    We have been asking from day one why did the government use Pegasus and under what law,” he said.

    Congress spokesperson Vallabh questioned how a weapon which is used against terrorists and enemy of the state was used by the government “to weaken democracy, executive and the judiciary”.

    “That is a weapon to dent our democracy, Constitution,” he said.

  • No proof that Pegasus spyware used in phones examined: SC; says Centre didn’t cooperate in probe

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said the technical panel appointed by it to probe the unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in five mobile phones out of the 29 examined but it could not be concluded that it was due to the Israeli spyware.

    After perusing the report submitted by former apex court Justice R V Raveendran, Chief Justice N V Ramana also noted that the Central government did not cooperate with the Pegasus probe.

    The top court last year ordered a probe into the allegations of the use of Israeli spyware by government agencies for targeted surveillance of politicians, journalists, and activists and appointed technical and supervisory committees to look into the Pegasus row.

    The three-judge bench said the overseeing panel has submitted a “lengthy” report in three parts.

    One of the parts suggested amending the law to protect citizens’ right to privacy and ensure the nation’s cyber security.

    “They (Committees) have observed that the Government of India did not cooperate. Whatever stand you had taken here, you have taken the same stand before the committee also”, the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said.

    Referring to a report of the technical panel, the bench said it was “little concerned” as it appeared that out of 29 phones, which were submitted to the technical committee for examination, five had some “kind of malware” but it cannot be said that these are due to Pegasus.

    “So far as the technical committee report is concerned and it appears that there is a request from the persons, who have given their phones, that the report not be shared. It appears that some 29 phones have been given and in five phones, they found some malware but it does not mean that it is malware from the Pegasus,” the CJI said.

    The bench said the report of Justice Raveendran has suggestions on protecting the citizens’ right to privacy, the future course of action, accountability, amending the law to improve privacy protection and the grievances redressal mechanism.

    It said that the report of the overseeing judge suggested some remedial measures and one is that there should be “amendments in the existing laws and the procedures on surveillance and right to privacy.”

    “Second is enhancing and improving the cyber security of the nation,” the bench said, adding that the report also suggested the “establishment of a mechanism for citizens to raise grievances of illegal surveillance.”

    Noting that it was a “huge report”, the bench said it will see what portion can be given and added that there was also a request not to release the report.

    “These are technical issues. So far as Justice Raveendran’s report is concerned, we will upload it on the website,” the CJI said.

    Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Rakesh Dwivedi urged the bench to release a “redacted report” to the litigants.

    When the bench said the Centre did not cooperate, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded by saying he was unaware of that.

    The court will now hear the matter after four weeks.

    The technical panel, which included three experts on cyber security, digital forensics, networks, and hardware, was asked to “inquire, investigate and determine” whether Pegasus spyware was used for snooping on citizens and their probe would be monitored by Raveendran.

    The panel members were Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P, and Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

    Justice Raveendran, who headed the monitoring panel, was assisted by former IPS officer Alok Joshi and cyber security expert Sundeep Oberoi in monitoring the inquiry of the technical panel.

    The apex court, in its order, had said that the probe panel would be empowered to enquire and investigate what steps or actions have been taken by the Centre after reports were published in 2019 about the hacking of WhatsApp accounts of Indian citizens, using the Pegasus suite of spyware.

    Also whether any Pegasus suite was acquired by the Union of India, any state government, or any central or state agency for use against the citizens of India.

    An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using the Pegasus spyware.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said the technical panel appointed by it to probe the unauthorised use of Pegasus has found some malware in five mobile phones out of the 29 examined but it could not be concluded that it was due to the Israeli spyware.

    After perusing the report submitted by former apex court Justice R V Raveendran, Chief Justice N V Ramana also noted that the Central government did not cooperate with the Pegasus probe.

    The top court last year ordered a probe into the allegations of the use of Israeli spyware by government agencies for targeted surveillance of politicians, journalists, and activists and appointed technical and supervisory committees to look into the Pegasus row.

    The three-judge bench said the overseeing panel has submitted a “lengthy” report in three parts.

    One of the parts suggested amending the law to protect citizens’ right to privacy and ensure the nation’s cyber security.

    “They (Committees) have observed that the Government of India did not cooperate. Whatever stand you had taken here, you have taken the same stand before the committee also”, the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said.

    Referring to a report of the technical panel, the bench said it was “little concerned” as it appeared that out of 29 phones, which were submitted to the technical committee for examination, five had some “kind of malware” but it cannot be said that these are due to Pegasus.

    “So far as the technical committee report is concerned and it appears that there is a request from the persons, who have given their phones, that the report not be shared. It appears that some 29 phones have been given and in five phones, they found some malware but it does not mean that it is malware from the Pegasus,” the CJI said.

    The bench said the report of Justice Raveendran has suggestions on protecting the citizens’ right to privacy, the future course of action, accountability, amending the law to improve privacy protection and the grievances redressal mechanism.

    It said that the report of the overseeing judge suggested some remedial measures and one is that there should be “amendments in the existing laws and the procedures on surveillance and right to privacy.”

    “Second is enhancing and improving the cyber security of the nation,” the bench said, adding that the report also suggested the “establishment of a mechanism for citizens to raise grievances of illegal surveillance.”

    Noting that it was a “huge report”, the bench said it will see what portion can be given and added that there was also a request not to release the report.

    “These are technical issues. So far as Justice Raveendran’s report is concerned, we will upload it on the website,” the CJI said.

    Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Rakesh Dwivedi urged the bench to release a “redacted report” to the litigants.

    When the bench said the Centre did not cooperate, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded by saying he was unaware of that.

    The court will now hear the matter after four weeks.

    The technical panel, which included three experts on cyber security, digital forensics, networks, and hardware, was asked to “inquire, investigate and determine” whether Pegasus spyware was used for snooping on citizens and their probe would be monitored by Raveendran.

    The panel members were Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Prabaharan P, and Ashwin Anil Gumaste.

    Justice Raveendran, who headed the monitoring panel, was assisted by former IPS officer Alok Joshi and cyber security expert Sundeep Oberoi in monitoring the inquiry of the technical panel.

    The apex court, in its order, had said that the probe panel would be empowered to enquire and investigate what steps or actions have been taken by the Centre after reports were published in 2019 about the hacking of WhatsApp accounts of Indian citizens, using the Pegasus suite of spyware.

    Also whether any Pegasus suite was acquired by the Union of India, any state government, or any central or state agency for use against the citizens of India.

    An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using the Pegasus spyware.

  • Pegasus row: Committee finds malware 5 out of 29 phones, not clear if Pegasus

    By Online Desk

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court noted that five out of 29 phones had some malware issues, while hearing the Pegasus spyware case on Thursday.

    A three-member bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said, “So far as technical committee reports are concerned it appears 29 phones were given to the committee and they have found some malware…5 out of 29 phones had some malware, but not saying if it was due to Pegasus.”

    It also noted that it appeared from the report submitted by the committee that the Government of India wasn’t cooperative. 

    The report of Justice Raveendran has recommended enhancing and improving the cyber security of citizens, establishing mechanisms for citizens to raise grievances and setting up private agencies that investigate the offences. 

    In October 2021, the apex court in a batch of petitions filed by petitioners who alleged to be direct victims of the Pegasus attack appointed a Technical Committee comprising three-member under the supervision of Justice RV Raveendran.

    The committee had to look into the allegations of unauthorised surveillance using Pegasus. The court had asked the committee to submit the report after a thorough enquiry expeditiously. 

    On May 20, the top court after considering the technical committee’s interim report granted the committee more time to submit its final report. 

    “The technical committee is directed to expedite examination of the Mobiles/Devices received by it, preferably within a period of four weeks and submit a report to the learned Overseeing Judge. The learned Overseeing Judge is requested to send the report as early as possible,” the bench in its order had said.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court noted that five out of 29 phones had some malware issues, while hearing the Pegasus spyware case on Thursday.

    A three-member bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said, “So far as technical committee reports are concerned it appears 29 phones were given to the committee and they have found some malware…5 out of 29 phones had some malware, but not saying if it was due to Pegasus.”

    It also noted that it appeared from the report submitted by the committee that the Government of India wasn’t cooperative. 

    The report of Justice Raveendran has recommended enhancing and improving the cyber security of citizens, establishing mechanisms for citizens to raise grievances and setting up private agencies that investigate the offences. 

    In October 2021, the apex court in a batch of petitions filed by petitioners who alleged to be direct victims of the Pegasus attack appointed a Technical Committee comprising three-member under the supervision of Justice RV Raveendran.

    The committee had to look into the allegations of unauthorised surveillance using Pegasus. The court had asked the committee to submit the report after a thorough enquiry expeditiously. 

    On May 20, the top court after considering the technical committee’s interim report granted the committee more time to submit its final report. 

    “The technical committee is directed to expedite examination of the Mobiles/Devices received by it, preferably within a period of four weeks and submit a report to the learned Overseeing Judge. The learned Overseeing Judge is requested to send the report as early as possible,” the bench in its order had said.

  • Mamata says Bengal was offered controversial Pegasus spyware for Rs 25 crore, 4-5 years ago

    By PTI

    KOLKATA/AMARAVATI: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee revealed that the controversial Pegasus spyware was offered to her government, she provided on Thursday more details, stating the state police was approached at least four to five years back with an offer to sell the controversial Israeli spyware for just Rs 25 crore.

    The chief minister said she had turned it down when she came to know of it.

    Banerjee also alleged that instead of using the spyware for the security of the country, it was used by the central government which she claimed purchased it, for “political” reasons against judges and officials.

    However, the Telugu Desam party denied assertions made by her on Wednesday that the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, had purchased the spyware during his tenure.

    “They (NSO, the company which developed Pegasus) had approached everybody to sell their ware. They had approached our police too, four-five years ago and offered to sell it for Rs 25 crore. I had the information, but I said that we did not require it,” Banerjee said at the state secretariat.

    “If it was used for the benefit of the country or for security reasons then it was a different matter altogether, but it has been used for political purposes, against judges, officers which is not at all welcomed,” she alleged.

    The Bengal chief minister had on Wednesday disclosed in the Assembly that her government was offered Pegasus spyware which she had declined as it had the potential to encroach upon people’s privacy.

    During her disclosure in the Assembly, the fiery leader had also claimed that the Andhra government “had it during Chandrababu (Naidu)’s time”.

    However, the Telegu Desam party denied the claim and said the Chandrababu Naidu government had made no such purchase.

    “We have never purchased any spyware. We never indulged in any illegal phone tapping,” Telugu Desam Party general secretary Nara Lokesh said here on Thursday.

    Reacting to Banerjee’s claim that the previous Chandrababu Naidu government purchased the Pegasus Spyware, Lokesh who was the then Minister for Information Technology in his father Chandrababu’s Cabinet, said, “I don’t know whether she has indeed said this, and where and in which context. If she did say this, she is certainly misinformed.”

    However, he said the software was offered to the state government. “Yes, Pegasus offered to sell its spyware to the AP government as well but we rejected it,” Lokesh said. Had the government purchased the spyware, there would be a record of it, he pointed out.

    An international media consortium had reported last year that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

    A New York Times report earlier this year claiming India bought Pegasus spyware as part of a USD 2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017 had triggered a major controversy with the Opposition alleging that the government had indulged in illegal snooping that amounted to “treason”.

    The Supreme Court is currently hearing a batch of pleas on the allegations of misuse of this spyware in India.

  • 98 amendments moved by Oppn in LS to Motion of Thanks on Prez address; 80 in RS

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Opposition members in the Lok Sabha have moved 98 amendments to the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address, while those in the Rajya Sabha have moved 80 amendments.

    Sources said a total of 232 amendments have been received by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and 13 Opposition members have moved 98 amendments to the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address. These include some on the Pegasus snooping controversy, they added.

    The amendments on the Pegasus issue were not admitted in the Upper House of Parliament, where such notices were disallowed by the secretariat since the matter is sub-judice, the sources said. In the Rajya Sabha, 19 notices for amendments were not moved as the three members proposing them were not present in the Upper House when the motion was taken up.

    The sources also said the notices given by Opposition members Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) and KC Venugopal (Congress) for amendments on the Pegasus issue were not accepted by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

    The secretary had received 99 notices by 14 Opposition members and since three were not present when the motion was taken up, a total of 80 amendments on the Motion of Thanks were moved on various issues by 11 members in the Upper House.

    Kareem has also written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu for giving a ruling that under what grounds his amendments were not admitted or disallowed.

    “It is quite unfortunate and condemnable that such a decision has been taken, violating the basic right of a member of Parliament,” the Left leader said in his letter, adding that as a representative of people, he has to raise their concerns on the floor of the House.

    He said this action could create an impression among people that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat deliberately excluded the amendments that deal with incidents that could expose the Centre. “The unilateral action is completely undemocratic and unethical,” Kareem said.

    He claimed that similar amendments moved in the Lok Sabha were admitted and said the Upper House cannot escape its responsibility to maintain transparency in revealing the reason for disallowing his amendments.

  • 80% vs 20% will destroy 100%, says Mahua Moitra in fiery speech in parliament

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: All India Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday said that the BJP’s campaign of 80% versus 20% will destroy 100% of India.

    Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament, Moitra lashed out at the Modi government saying, “They want to alter history, they are fearful of the future and they mistrust the present.. You fear a future India which is comfortable in its own skin, which is comfortable with conflicting realities… You are not content with just the vote, you want to get inside our heads, inside our homes, to tell us what to eat, what to wear, who to love. But your fear alone cannot keep the future at bay.”

    Moitra asked people to ponder on what kind of Republic they want. “What is the kind of Republic do we want, what is the India we want today, what is the idea of India we want to stand up for, fight for, get jailed for? Ours is a living Constitution. It breathes as long as we like to breathe life into it. Else it is just a piece of paper.”

    ALSO READ | Bullets fired at AIMIM chief Owaisi’s convoy on Delhi-Meerut Expressway, one arrested

    The Trinamool MP said this government is very insecure and its insecurity is reflected in the way it disallowed tableau on Subramaniam Bhartia, VR Pillai,  Sri Narayan Guru and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. She said, “The government was trying to reinvent (VD) Savarkar as some kind of a freedom fighter, but is afraid of the real heroes of our country.”

    She said India has been downgraded by Freedom House from free to partly free. It has become the most dangerous place for journalists to work in the world. “The government mistrusts our annadatas… you withdrew the farm laws fearing defeat in elections in western Uttar Pradesh. But this time the chowdharys will not forget you. They will not forget how the son of your minister drove cars over farmers killing them. The MP said the government has spent taxpayers’ money to buy Pegasus and spy on people.”

    On Pegasus, she quoted a tweet by a journalist to say, “The New York Times is lying, Citizen Lab is lying, Amnesty is lying, French government is lying, German government is lying, Apple Inc and Whatsapp, who have sued NSO, are lying. Only Modi sarkar stands in splendid isolation with the truth about Pegasus.”

    She concluded her speech by quoting a poor voter from her parliamentary constituency in West Bengal who told her “Ma, for you it’s a battle of ideology, but for us it’s a battle for survival.”

    She appealed to the judiciary to play its role by saying “you are all that we have… do not fail us.”

  • CPI(M) MP gives notice in Rajya Sabha to move privilege motion on Pegasus issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan submitted a notice on Monday to move a privilege motion under rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha, accusing the government of “misleading” the House on the Pegasus spyware issue.

    In his notice, Sivadasan said on August 9 last year, responding to his question on whether the government had carried out any transaction with NSO Group Technologies, Minister of State, Defence Ajay Bhatt said there was no transaction between the ministry and the Israeli firm, while a report in the New York Times has stated that India and Israel agreed on “the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centrepieces”.

    “This revelation confirms the apprehension that the reply by the Hon Minister was misleading the august House, thus constituting a breach of my privilege as a member of the House and of the privilege of the House as a whole. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament,” he said.

    The Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP also said he had raised a similar question again, this time to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was rejected, but the MHA chose to “insultingly dub the question as hypothetical in remarks, thus trying to convey the message that there was no ground for such a question to arise”.

    “This response was received in the members’ portal. But the New York Times and several national and international media houses have published the news that Pegasus was bought from NSO group of companies as part of a billion-dollar deal with Israel. Thus, it is evident that the response of the Ministry of Home Affairs is misleading.”

    ALSO READ: Pegasus spy row: CPI MP submits notice to move motion against Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

    “As the minister heading the Ministry of Home Affairs, Amit Shah is responsible for the misleading response, which constitutes a breach of my privilege as a member of the House,” he said.

    Sivadasan also raised questions on the response of Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who in his statement on the Pegasus issue had said, “NSO has also clearly rubbished the claims in the report.”

    This revelation confirms the apprehension that the statement by the minister was misleading Parliament, thus constituting a breach of the privilege of the House. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament.

    The continuous accountability of the executive to the legislature is the distinguishing feature. And any attempt by the executive to mislead Parliament constitutes a grave attack on the democratic values.

    “It is a frontal attack on the concept of popular sovereignty, which constitutes the bedrock of our democracy,” the Left leader said in his notice.

    “It is condemnable that the ministers deliberately chose to mislead the House by giving vague and incorrect statements”, he said, adding, “Based on the facts above mentioned, I propose to move a motion to refer the said question of privilege to the Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha.”

  • Opposition to raise farmers’ issues, Pegasus matter in Budget Session of Parliament

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a stormy Budget Session of Parliament that begins on Monday with the opposition set to target the Modi government on issues such as the Pegasus snooping row, farm distress and Chinese “incursions” in eastern Ladakh.

    The session will begin with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha assembled together in the Central Hall and chambers of both the Houses in view of the COVID-19 situation.

    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2021-22 on Monday and the Union Budget on Tuesday.

    Given the ongoing third wave of the pandemic, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will return to have separate sittings in shifts with members seated across both chambers of Parliament to ensure distancing norms.

    The Lok Sabha will take up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address from Wednesday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to the debate on February seven.

    Lok Sabha secretariat officials said four days beginning February 2 have been provisionally allotted for the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.

    The first part of the Budget Session will be held from January 31 to February 11 after which it will go into recess to examine the budgetary allocations for different departments.

    The Session would resume on March 14 and conclude on April 8.

    The Budget Session is taking place amid a heated election campaign in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur – which go to polls in seven phases from February 10 to March 7.

    The main opposition Congress has declared that it will reach out to like-minded parties to raise issues such as farm distress, Chinese “incursions”, demand for relief package for COVID-19 victims, sale of Air India and the Pegasus snooping row during the session.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu are set to chair separate meetings with floor leaders of political parties on Monday to ensure smooth functioning of the House during the session.

  • NYT report on Pegasus reignites row; Opposition accuses government of snooping, calls it ‘treason’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A New York Times report claiming India bought Pegasus spyware as part of a USD 2 billion defence deal with Israel in 2017 triggered a major controversy on Saturday with the Opposition alleging that the government indulged in illegal snooping that amounted to “treason”.

    The Opposition parties indicated that they would raise the issue strongly in the Budget Session of Parliament starting Monday, even as Union minister Gen (retd) V K Singh called The New York Times “Supari Media”.

    A government source said the matter related to the Pegasus software was being monitored by a committee under the Supreme Court — headed by retired Supreme Court judge R V Raveendran — and its report was awaited.

    Reacting to NYT’s report, Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation, said on Twitter: “Can you trust NYT?? They are known “Supari Media”.

    ” The Congress launched an all-out attack on the government over the report, accusing it of deceiving Parliament, duping the Supreme Court, hijacking democracy and indulging in treason.

    Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter, “The 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 these phone tappings. This is treason.”

    “The Modi Government has committed treason,” he alleged.

    The Congress said it intends to raise the issue in the budget session and demand accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government on the floor of Parliament.

    The principal opposition party also urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and initiate appropriate penal proceedings against the government for attempting to “deliberately and knowingly deceive” it.

    Asked about the issue, Shashi Tharoor, senior Congress leader and chairman of the parliamentary panel on communications and information technology, told PTI, “The government has chosen not to be responsive to the IT Committee about Pegasus, and the stand taken by a number of BJP members – not to permit a quorum when the issue was to be discussed – has also meant that the Committee has made no headway in establishing the facts.”

    “The Supreme Court is pursuing the matter and I wish it well. If our government has used Pegasus in the manner alleged it would be a very grave threat to our democracy,” he said.

    In a tweet, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “The (Narendra) Modi government must explain on affidavit why it bought this cyber weapon, who gave the permission for its usage, how were the targets selected and who got these reports?” “Silence on such a critical issue only means an acceptance of its criminal activity,” he said.

    CPI general secretary D Raja alleged that the government hid the truth on the issue from Parliament and they were now answerable.

    In a tweet, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged the spyware was used not for defence purposes but to snoop on opposition and journalists.

    “If there is BJP, it is possible. They have made the country into a Bigg Boss show,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.

    BJP MP Subramanian Swamy suggested that “Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers money of ? 300 crores to spyware Pegasus sold by Israeli NSO company.”

    “This implies prima facie our Govt misled Supreme Court and Parliament. Watergate?” he asked.

    Meanwhile, India’s former permanent representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin dismissed as “utter rubbish” the “insinuation” in the NYT report which cited India’s 2019 vote in support of Israel at the UN’s Economic and Social Council to highlight deepening of ties after a deal that included sale of Pegasus.

    Tagging a tweet on the NYT report, Akbaruddin, who held the post at the UN from 2016-2020, said, “The insinuation about India’s UN vote is utter rubbish”.

    Incidentally, India and Israel marked 30 years of diplomatic relations on Saturday.

    The media report said Pegasus and a missile system were the “centerpieces” of a roughly USD 2 billion deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel in 2017.

    The NYT, in its report titled ‘The Battle for the World’s Most Powerful Cyberweapon’, said that the Israeli firm NSO Group had for nearly a decade been “selling its surveillance software on a subscription basis to law-enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world, promising that it could do what no one else — not a private company, not even a state intelligence service — could do: consistently and reliably crack the encrypted communications of any iPhone or Android smartphone”.

    The report also referred to Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017 – the first Indian prime minister to do so.

    “For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called ‘commitment to the Palestinian cause’, and relations with Israel were frosty.

    The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and (then Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach,” it said.

    “They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces.

    “Months later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the UN’s Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organisation, a first for the nation,” the report said.

    Last year, a row had erupted over Pegasus allegedly being used for targeted surveillance in India.

    The government, however, had dismissed allegations of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people.

    Last October, the Supreme Court set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India, observing the state cannot get a “free pass” every time the spectre of national security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a “mute spectator” and be the bugbear it shies away from.

    The NYT report said the FBI too had bought a version of Pegasus.

    It was around last summer that the FBI “decided not to deploy the NSO weapons.

    It was around this time that a consortium of news organisations called Forbidden Stories brought forward new revelations about NSO cyberweapons and their use against journalists and political dissidents.

    The Pegasus system currently lies dormant at the facility in New Jersey”.

    An international investigative consortium had claimed that many Indian ministers, politicians, activists, businessmen and journalists were potentially targeted by the software.

    The report said that since 2011 when NSO “introduced” Pegasus to the global market, it had “helped Mexican authorities capture Joaquin Guzman Loera, the drug lord known as El Chapo”.

    European investigators have quietly used Pegasus to thwart terrorist plots, fight organised crime and, in one case, take down a global child-abuse ring, identifying dozens of suspects in more than 40 countries, it said.