Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Aja and Salma mountains draw nature lovers to Hail's rugged landscapes    US revokes all visas for South Sudanese nationals over deportation dispute    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 3,471    Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egypt and Jordan in Cairo    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



India's parliament opens amid furor over Pegasus 'lies'
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 31 - 01 - 2022

India's parliament opened amid a political storm over fresh allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government bought Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to snoop on its critics.
The New York Times reported on Friday that India acquired Pegasus from Israel as part of a defense deal in 2017.
Similar allegations emerged last year, and the government had denied them.
Opposition parties are now accusing the government of lying to parliament and misleading the house.
The main opposition Congress has called for a "privilege motion" in Parliament - used in instances when members are accused of committing a breach of privilege - against Information and technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for "deliberately misleading the House".
"The government, on the floor of the House, always maintained that it had nothing to do with the Pegasus spyware and it never bought the spyware from the NSO Group... in light of the revelations... it appears that the Modi government has misled the parliament and the Supreme Court," Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, wrote in a letter to the speaker.
The allegations are expected to result in a heated debate as parliament assembles for a joint session of both houses. This comes ahead of the annual budget, which will be tabled on Tuesday, and days before five states go to the polls to elect a new government.
A fresh plea seeking a police investigation has been filed in the Supreme Court, which began an inquiry into the matter when allegations first emerged last year.
Last year, Indian media outlet The Wire reported that some 160 Indians, including prominent activists, lawyers and politicians, were spied on using the Pegasus malware.
Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones.
An investigation by a global consortium of media outlets showed how the malware was used by governments around the world to hack phones of dissidents. The targets' phone numbers were on a database believed to be of interest to clients of Israeli firm NSO.
It's unclear where the list came from or how many phones were hacked - and NSO has denied any wrongdoing. It said the software was intended for tracking criminals and terrorists and was only sold to military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records.
NSO was also accused of cyber attacks against Indian journalists and activists in 2019 - NSO Group denied the allegations.
But the New York Times reported on Friday that Pegasus and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly $2bn deal that took place between India and Israel in 2017 when Mr Modi made his first trip to the country. The visit - and a subsequent one by Mr Netanyahu the following year - marked a significant turn in India's relationship with Israel.
The fresh allegations sparked a political storm, with opposition leaders demanding answers from Mr Modi.
Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of treason, and Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of acting "like the enemies of India".
The government has denied that it ordered any unauthorized surveillance.
Last year, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had called the allegations a "sensational" attempt "to malign Indian democracy and its well-established institutions" - he told Parliament in September that the government "has not had any transaction with NSO Group Technologies".
But there has been no statement from Mr Modi or his ministers since the latest allegations emerged. Opposition politicians have questioned the government's "silence" on the issue and demanded that Mr Modi must address the country.
In September, the Supreme Court set up a panel to look into the allegations after the government repeatedly failed to respond to its questions, citing national security. The court had said the government had left it with "no option but to accept the prima facie case made out by the petitioners". — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.