Leaders of various opposition parties attended a meeting chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge, to strategise on questioning the Union government on Pegasus and other issues.

news Pegasus row Wednesday, July 28, 2021 - 15:06
TNM Staff

The recent sensational Pegasus Project, in which it was reported that over 300 people including politicians, journalists, one sitting judge and others were suspected to be targets of the spyware Pegasus, has caused uproar across the country. This was after the Union government claimed that “the allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people have no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever.” NSO, the Israeli company that manufactures Pegasus, said that the spyware can only be purchased by government organisations.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was among those on the list published by The Wire, who is suspectedly targeted by Pegasus. Following the protests in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session on Thursday, he said, “We want to ask just one question. Has the government of India bought Pegasus? Yes or no. Did the government use the Pegasus weapon against its own people? We have been told clearly by the government that no discussion will take place on Pegasus in the House.”

He added, “For us, Pegasus is a matter related to nationalism and treason. This weapon has been used against democracy. For me, it's not a matter of privacy. I see it as an anti-national act. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah Ji have attacked the soul of India's democracy.” The Congress leader further alleged that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah “used the weapon against India’s democratic institutions”. 

On Wednesday, proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were adjourned twice amid protests by opposition party members, over issues such as the Pegasus row, farm laws, the recent Mizoram-Assam border tension, and others that have been brought up since the start of the Monsoon session last week but have not yet been addressed.

(With PTI inputs)

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