Some media reports that had surfaced, Israeli hacking software — Pegasus — that was meant to target terrorists and criminals were misused to spy on several journalists, activists, lawyers, and opposition leaders.
New Delhi: Union Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnav on Monday termed the media reports of several journalists, activists, and politicians being targeted through hacking of phones by an Israeli spyware company as an “attempt to malign the Indian democracy and its well-established institutions.”
“Similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp. Those reports had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including in the Supreme Court. The press reports of 18th July 2021 also appear to be an attempt to malign the Indian democracy and its well-established institutions,” the Union Minister told Lok Sabha.
According to media reports that had surfaced on Sunday, Israeli hacking software — Pegasus — that was meant to target terrorists and criminals was misused to spy on several journalists, activists, lawyers, and opposition leaders.
The Minister asked all members of the House to examine the issues on facts and logic, as he believed that the people targeting the government haven’t read the news in detail.
“The report says that the presence of a phone number in the data does not reveal whether a device was infected with Pegasus or subject to an attempted hack. Without subjecting a phone to this technical analysis, it is not possible to conclusively state whether it witnessed an attack attempt or was successfully compromised,” Mr. Vaishnav averred and clarified that the presence of a number does not amount to snooping.
The IT Minister also informed the House that — NSO group — which owns the software, has said that the list of countries shown using Pegasus is incorrect and many countries mentioned are not even the company’s clients. It also said that most of its clients are from western countries.
Notably, Mr. Vaishnaw, who was making his first speech in Parliament as the new IT minister, ostensibly questioned the credibility of the media reports that have reportedly tried to corner the government just a day before the monsoon session. “The press reports have appeared a day before the Monsoon session of Parliament. This cannot be a coincidence,” the Minister said.
He said that the “highly sensational story” has made several “over the top allegations” but there is “no substance behind them”.
Mr. Vaishnav told the House that any form of illegal surveillance is not possible with the checks and balances in the country’s laws and robust institutions.
There was no “substance behind this sensationalism,” he added.
[HAMS LIVE]