JMM demands JPC probe into Pegasus snooping case

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has come down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre for allegedly using a military-grade spyware to snoop on journalists and politicians. JMM central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said the matter concerned national security and must be investigated by a join parliamentary committee.
Addressing the media here on Monday, Bhattacharya said that the investigation was done by a consortium of international media houses and it has been proved that mobile phones across the globe were compromised using Pegasus spyware. “We are more concerned about the snooping going on in our country as people from different walks of life including, opposition leaders, journalists, activists and even a sitting judge of the supreme court, were targeted,” he said.
The JMM has also linked the exposure with the recent sacking of former IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. “We can now join the dots and understand the purpose of the cabinet reshuffle. The IT minister was removed by the government so that after the expose, he doesn’t require to face Parliament,” Bhattacharya said.
JMM said that since the Israel-based company, NSO, has categorically said that it provides the software only to vetted governments, there was no chance of the software being used by any private party. “From the admission of the spyware developer, we can understand that it was either the government or any of its agencies which was involved in the illegal spying,” Bhattacharya said. He stressed that there was a lawful provision for phone tapping by the government but that requires due diligence. “Phone tapping is possible on the recommendation of a high-powered committee formed by the Union home secretary, but this kind of uninformed planting of spyware has no legal sanction,” he added.
Calling upon anti-BJP parties, Bhattacharya said: “The vindictive centre has used draconian laws like NSA and UAPA against activists and journalists who have criticised the government or have expressed disagreement. This was evident in the Bhima-Koregaon case in which Stan Swamy was falsely implicated. The government might be using such tactics against political opponents also, which is dangerous for democracy.”