French And Israeli Governments Are Doing Investigations On Snooping By Pegasus

By Sushil Kutty

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are the ones who can talk on Pegasus. But Modi doesn’t have the time to spare. That leaves Amit Shah in the lurch. And he’s acting as if he was never at ‘Home’. The Home Minister spoke once, but only to dwell on “chronology”. Then, he clammed up.

New IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav was assigned the task. But he is in the list that Pegasus snooped on. Vaishnav stood up in the Rajya Sabha. But there was ruckus. That was ‘opportunity’ lost. At least we would have had some explanation on why his phone number figured in the Pegasus database, and The Wire disclosures.

Jairam Ramesh, who is Congress Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha, says Ashwini Vaishnav standing up to “clarify” was a “macabre joke”. To tell the truth, not allowing Parliament to function is tragedy dressed up as comedy. Who benefited, treasury or opposition?

The ruling party, and the Modi Government, mostly. Pegasus tied by the feet and mouth keeps the lid on who ordered the snooping on Indian citizens? It lets off the Modi Government for the time being. “Stall and live on” seems to be the idea. Therefore, the silence of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Monsoon session is on its last legs. The Government hopes to ride it through. August 11, Lok Sabha was adjourned “indefinitely”. Rajya Sabha met only to descend to utter chaos, pandemonium. Holding up Parliament for Pegasus appeared to advance agendas. Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu lamented the absence of decorum.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi had said when the session began that Pegasus is a “non-issue”. Things couldn’t suit the Government more. Under the circumstances, why should Amit Shah come clean? The Home Minister takes his cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From way back. There cannot be a more singularly fixated duo in all of India’s political history.

Of course, they aren’t Siamese twins. But if it’s ‘purpose’, you can draw a parallel. What Narendra Modi proposes, Amit Shah disposes. Which is why Amit Shah is the right person to dwell deep on Pegasus. And disclose all that centres round Pegasus. Ex-IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad spoke of Pegasus, but he left more unsaid than said.

The silence of the Modi Government is telling. Some are even taking it as admission. But it needs to come from the horse’s mouth. Amit Shah has to step up. Pegasus is a loaded gun, the reason why the Government is nervous. The drubbing that the BJP received in West Bengal followed by the 2nd wave of Covid-19 left the BJP ‘dead in water’. The Government was wobbling on its feet. Not the best days for the Modi-Shah duo.

One, the 2022 assembly elections in the five states are too close for the BJP’s comfort. The anti-Modi wave is palpable. The undercurrents are shifting. Two, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was getting too big for his boots. Yogi was seen as a threat and challenge to both Modi and Shah. Panic followed apprehension. Then realization. Today, there’s an all-out effort to rebrand Yogi, place him on a pedestal.

It’s imperative for the BJP and Modi to win Uttar Pradesh. Till then, it’s a challenge to keep the lid on Pegasus. The issue is in the Supreme Court and CJI Ramana is not CJI Ranjan Gogoi. At least that’s the buzz in Social Media. However, what happens in the apex court cannot be predicted. Pegasus is a live wire; who all did it target is anybody’s guess.

Surely, the Home Secretary would know. He has to know. Only on his written orders can somebody be spied upon. That is the god awful truth. And the Home Secretary acts on whose behalf? Home Minister! On the orders of the Home Minister, who happens to be for the last two years Amit Shah.

That said the Government is silent on whether it bought Pegasus from NSO? This, when NSO only sells to governments. According to the global consortium that let the cat out of the bag, 40 countries were targeted; 14 heads of state, and thousands of others including journalists, people from all walks of life.

If it’s found one fine day that the Government of India is culpable, the rafters will bend under the load of the indicted. The governments of France and Israel have ordered inquiries. Modi and his majordomo Shah have not. Modi & Shah’s politics and current stations in life hinge on Pegasus. The Modi Government’s contention that Pegasus is a conspiracy to humiliate India and the Modi Government needs to be investigated. Pegasus needs to be investigated. Politics being played with Pegasus, and on Pegasus. It’s about holding on to power. And know your opponent! All his secrets, his every move and countermove, his life story! Spy on him, and it’ll help if it is military-grade spyware. (IPA Service)