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Items filtered by date: Thursday, 22 July 2021
AICC DEMANDS JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO PEGASUS SCANDAL
All India Congress Committee, AICC Manipur In-charge Bhakta Charan Das has demanded white paper and judicial inquiry involving the Supreme Court of India into the recent issues of targets by clients of the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Speaking to media at Congress Bhavan in Imphal today, he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP Government of taking no action against the Pegasus scandal even when the personnel information of every Indians are at stake. Stating that the spyware can hack into one's smartphones without the owner's knowledge and can even secretly record onsite audios and videos, Bhakta Charan Das said that the government's indifference is violation of freedom of speech and expression of each and every citizen in the country and asked the credibility of government's "digital India" vision.
It maybe mentioned that "The Wire" in collaboration with 16 other media organisations including "The Guardian" and "The Washington Post"– has been revealing the names of people who were either persons of interest or forensically identified as having been targeted by clients of the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Two serving union ministers, three opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, one constitutional authority, current and former heads of security organisations, administrators, and 40 senior Indian journalists and activists' phones including one from Manipur have been allegedly bugged and put under surveillance using Israeli spy software called Pegasus. The Israeli company which has developed the advanced spyware said, it has only sold information to “vetted governments” to counter terrorism and other major crimes. Both the software's owner and the Indian government have both categorically denied the allegations but the political fallout of the scandal has been escalating.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the snooping on Supreme Court judges, journalists and political leaders among others using the Pegasus spyware, news of which broke earlier this week, was 'worse than the Watergate scandal' which broke in the US during the Nixon presidency. The Lok Sabha proceedings were repeatedly adjourned on Thursday amid sloganeering by Opposition members over various issues, including Pegasus scandal and the three recent farm laws. In the Rajya Sabha, Electronics and Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, was forced to cut short his statement on Pegasus snooping controversy amid uproar by the opposition members.
CAN BHAKTA CHARAN DAS CONSOLIDATE MPCC?
Fate of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC is still undecided. Following the resignation of Bishnupur MLA Govindas Konthoujam from the post of MPCC President, the party is still devoid of a president to lead it's members for the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections hanging in the early part of next year. On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party Manipur Pradesh with its new woman president Adhikarimayum Sharda is all geared up for the victory in the election. However, it is still early to decide whose card would turn out to be the winning card until the last moment.
12 Congress MLAs attended yesterday's Congress Legislature Party Meeting held at Classic Grande in Chingmeirong as soon as Indian National Congress Manipur In- Charge Bhakta Charan Das airdashed yesterday morning. He was recieved by Congress MLA K Meghachandra and other leaders. Bhakta Charan Das made his entry prompt to consolidate congress party in the state soon after K. Govindas tendered his resignation. Nothing much about the meeting was divulged except that the Congress party will hold a press conference today to disclose its stance.
Accordingly, MPCC held the press meet at Imphal Congress Bhavan, BT road this morning. Much was expected to unfold but nothing much came out. Impact News witnessed only 5 congress MLAs attending the press meet including CLP Leader Okram Ibobi and AICC CWC member Gaikhangam. MPCC has time and again clarified that Govindas' resignation has nothing to do with CLP leadership and it is left to speculation as to what led the party's president who was at the forefront few days ago made his unprecedented announcement. Speaking to media, Bhakta Charan Das said, he will be in town for at least a week to take stock of the situation, to strategise policies for upcoming election and restore normalcy. He said, the party hasn't decided who will be its new president and as soon as it is decided it will be made known. He wasted no opportunity to slam the BJP Government calling it unethical and power hungry even amid the tough times of Coronavirus pandemic. Bhakta Charan Das said, the BJP government is unconstitutional. It should be fighting the pandemic to save lives and not play petty politics to be in power. He said, the government with its present course of action doesn't deserve to be ruling for even a single day in the country. He has assured that the party will give timely updates on any new developments.
Meanwhile, as per a reliable Impact News source, 11 Congress MLAs are likely to leave to join a different party in unison and in case, they don't, they might form a whole new political party. Like they say, politics is politics you never know what's next!