Opponents shot dead in Afghanistan, snooped on in India via Pegasus: Saamana

On Monday, the government said that it had nothing to hide but cited “national security” to tell the Supreme Court it would not file a detailed affidavit in response to petitions seeking a probe into the Pegasus spyware row

Shiv Sena on Wednesday slammed the Centre over its refusal to file an affidavit in Supreme Court regarding the Pegasus snooping row, stating it is a matter of national security. Sena mouthpiece Saamana attacked the Centre by saying that in Afghanistan opponents are gunned down, while here, spyware like Pegasus is used to defeat political opponents.

Representational Image. (File photo)

On Monday, the government said that it had nothing to hide but cited “national security” to tell the Supreme Court it would not file a detailed affidavit in response to petitions seeking a probe into the Pegasus spyware row

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece said the Centre was playing ‘hide and seek’ on the issue. It added, “The Centre has decided that Parliament and courts must not be given importance.”

International media earlier in July reported that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including those of two serving central ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders, and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware which is sold only to government agencies.

“The issue of national security is definitely important, there are no differences over that. But it does not mean that only Modi government is worried about national security and not the Opposition in Parliament or our Supreme Court... In Afghanistan, opponents are shot dead. Here, mediums like Pegasus are used to defeat opponents,” the mouthpiece said.

As a policy, the Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party does not response to criticism or remarks made in Saamana editorials.