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.
Rejecting all opposition to his elevation, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's new Punjab unit President along with four Working Presidents.
Calling the reports of alleged snooping on prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware as "baseless", the ruling BJP on Monday said there is not a single shred of evidence so far that links either the central government or the party to this controversy.
Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.
Apart from reviewing the security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Police have also strengthened the security in and around the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day.
Police said acting on a specific information, Budgam Police along with the Army's 53 RR and 43 BN of the CRPF arrested one local terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one magazine, eight live pistol rounds from his possession.
As the Pegasus spyware scandal unravelled within and outside Parliament, he termed it a "shocking assault" on India's democratic polity by the Union government, which had compromised the national security with "this blatantly disgraceful act".
