NEW DELHI: At least seven organisations representing journalists came together on Thursday to strongly condemn the alleged surveillance done on mediapersons through the Pegasus spyware.
Demanding clarity on how this was done and who authorised the snooping, the Press Club of India, Editors Guild of India, Press Association, Delhi Union of Journalists, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Working News Cameraman Association, IJU, and various media organisations demanded a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry into the alleged illegal snooping.
“The acts of snooping on citizens undermine democracy. It is, therefore, incumbent on the government to put an end to obfuscation of details and to come clean on the use of Pegasus spyware,” a joint statement by the organisations said.
The government and BJP have dismissed the Pegasus Project reports as concocted (Representational)
Jammu:
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Thursday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged snooping on phones of party leader Rahul Gandhi and others with Israeli spyware Pegasus.
An international media consortium reported on Sunday that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including two ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders, and one sitting judge besides scores of business persons and activists in India, could have been targeted for hacking through the spyware.
Rahul Gandhi, BJP minister Prahlad Singh Patel, as well as former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa and poll strategist Prashant Kishor were among those whose numbers were listed as potential targets for hacking, the consortium reported.
BJP says snooping story cooked to demean India; Congress demands SC-monitored judicial enquiry
Union Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi said the owners of the spyware Pegasus as well as Amnesty International have denied the claims made in the reports.
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| A+A A- By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: In a spot over media reports of alleged extensive surveillance, BJP on Thursday countered by accusing the Opposition of stalling Parliament on the basis of the “data bank sourced from yellow pages”.
Union Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi said the owners of the spyware Pegasus as well as Amnesty International have denied the claims made in the reports. Within minutes, Amnesty International asserted it stands with the Pegasus Project findings. Amnesty International, the human rights group, is associated with the Pegasus Project.
Pegasus snooping row: Media bodies demand SC-monitored inquiry
Representatives of these media bodies also criticised the raids on media houses, including Dainik Bhaskar newspaper and Bharat Samachar channel, saying these are efforts to crush dissent .
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| A+A A- By PTI
NEW DELHI: Media bodies such as the Press Club of India and the Editors Guild of India on Thursday condemned the alleged snooping on journalists and others using a spyware while demanding a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry in the matter.
Representatives of these media bodies also criticised the raids on media houses, including Dainik Bhaskar newspaper and Bharat Samachar channel, saying these are efforts to crush dissent .
Lok Sabha: Congress MP moves Adjournment motion on Pegasus issue ANI | Updated: Jul 23, 2021 09:25 IST
New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): Congress MP B Manickam Tagore on Friday has moved a motion of Adjournment of the business in Lok Sabha to discuss over Pegasus Project media report. I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance namely:- that the house do discuss the recent allegations in the media of the government carrying out spying and online surveillance of several senior Opposition leaders, constitutional authorities, reporters and activists using the Israeli software Pegasus and which could have grave implications for the right to privacy of individuals guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, wrote the Congress MP to Lok Sabha Secretary-General.