Happy that Supreme Court has accepted to look into Pegasus snooping issue: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday claimed vidication of the opposition stand on the Pegasus row after the Supreme Court formed a panel to look into the charges of snooping using the spyware.
"Pegasus is an attempt to crush Indian democracy. It is a big step that the Supreme Court has said that they will look into this matter. I am confident that we will get truth out of this," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.
"We are happy that Supreme Court has accepted to look into the Pegasus issue. Today, the top court has given its opinion and supported what we were saying," he added.
Rahul Gandhi said his party would raise the issue again in Parliament and insist on a debate.
"During last Parliament session, we raised Pegasus issue. We were asking 3 questions - who authorised Pegasus? Who was it used against and did any other country have access to information of our people," Rahul Gandhi said.
"Pegasus was used against CMs, former PMs, BJP's ministers among others. Was the Prime Minister and the home minister getting the data obtained through use of Pegasus? If the data of phone tapping of Election Commission, CEC & Opposition leaders are going to PM, then it's a criminal act," Rahul said.
The Supreme Court today appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying every citizen needs protection against privacy violation and mere invocation of “national security by State” does not render the court a “mute spectator”.
Finding material that “prima facie merits consideration”, a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli declined the Centre's plea to appoint expert panel on its own, saying such a course would violate settled judicial principle against bias.
The top court highlighted the aspect pertaining to the freedom of press and said it is compelled to take up the cause in the matter to determine truth and get to the bottom of the allegations made.
A SC bench said it is undeniable that surveillance and the knowledge that one is under the threat of being spied on can affect the way an individual decides to exercise his or her rights.
“Such a scenario might result in self-censorship. This is of particular concern when it relates to the freedom of the press, which is an important pillar of democracy. Such chilling effect on the freedom of speech is an assault on the vital public-watchdog role of the press, which may undermine the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable information,” said the SC bench.
In its 46-page order passed on a batch of pleas seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping matter, the top court said protection of journalistic sources is one of the basic conditions for the freedom of press and without it sources may be deterred from assisting the media in informing the public on matters of public interest.
“Having regard to the importance of the protection of journalistic sources for press freedom in a democratic society and the potential chilling effect that snooping techniques may have, this court's task in the present matter, where certain grave allegations of infringement of the rights of the citizens of the country have been raised, assumes great significance,” it said.