Cong plans nationwide agitation on 'Pegasus Project' report
Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Jul, 2021 12:00 AM
New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) After it emerged that former party President Rahul Gandhi, among others, was one of the potential targets of snooping using the Pegasus spyware developed by Israel's NSO Group, the Congress has planned nationwide agitation and has decided to raise the issue in Parliament.
At least two mobile phone accounts used by Rahul Gandhi were among the 300 verified Indian numbers listed as potential targets by an official Indian client of the Israeli surveillance technology vendor, NSO Group, The Wire has reported.
The Congress has asked its state units to march towards Raj Bhavan to lodge the protest and it will also hold press conference in each state capital.
In Parliament, the party has moved suspension notice in the Rajya Sabha by K.C. Venugopal and adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha.
On Monday, the Congress said, "Shouldn't Home Minister Amit Shah, in-charge of the country's internal security, be sacked forthwith? Does this not warrant a full investigation into the role of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and others involved?"
The Congress said that it's "shocking and sensational" that news reports disclosing illegal and unconstitutional hacking of cellphones of Constitutional functionaries, Union Cabinet ministers, present and former heads of security forces, senior leaders of the opposition, journalists, lawyers and activists reflect treasonous and inexcusable dismantling of national security by the BJP government.
The Union Minister said that she has been informed by the Indian Consul General in Erbil that exit stamps have been affixed on the passports of the stranded youth on Sunday.
The accused, Gurpinder Singh, 29, a rock salt importer, was arrested in connection with the biggest ever narcotics haul in which the Customs Department had seized 532 kg of heroin worth Rs. 2,700 crore at Attari border in Amritsar, which was smuggled into India from Pakistan in a truck.
