The Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini on Monday dismissed reports about surveillance on Indian ministers, Opposition politicians, and journalists. The hacking was allegedly done using Israeli company NSO Group’s spyware called Pegasus.
“There is no substance whatsoever behind this sensationalism,” Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session.
The clarification came as media reports on Sunday revealed a leaked list, featuring more than 50,000 phone numbers “concentrated in countries known to engage in surveillance of their citizens”. The numbers reportedly in the database included over 40 Indian journalists, three major opposition figures, one constitutional authority, two serving ministers in the Narendra Modi government, current and former heads and officials of security organisations and many entrepreneurs.
Monday’s sessions in both Houses saw protests from politicians of the Opposition against the rising fuel prices, the Pegasus hack media report, and the government’s management of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will convene at 11 am on Tuesday. They were both adjourned on Monday amid protests by Opposition MPs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the newly inducted Union ministers to the Lok Sabha as he addressed the Lower House of Parliament. On July 7, as many as 43 leaders were inducted into the Cabinet, taking the number of members in the Union Council of Ministers to 78.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament will conclude on August 13.
Here are the day’s updates:
3.53: The Lok Sabha is also adjourned for the day.
3.48 pm: Vaishnaw says that there is no “factual basis” to say that the use of Pegasus amounted to surveillance. “I request all members of House to examine the issues on facts and logic,” he says.
3.46 pm: The minister adds: “There is no substance whatsoever behind this sensationalism.”
3.37 pm: Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks about the “Pegasus project”
“A highly sensational story was published by a web portal last night,” he says. “Many over-the-top allegations were made around this story. The press reports appeared a day before monsoon session of Parliament. This can’t be a coincidence.”
Also read: Pegasus: Indian politicians and reporters on list of targets for spyware ‘sold only to governments’
3.31 pm: The Lok Sabha session resumes. The Centre says it is ready to hold discussions on any subject.
3.23 pm: After a discussion on the bill, the Rajya Sabha is adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday.
3.14 pm: The Rajya Sabha session resumes. Sarbananda Sonowal, the minister of ports, shipping and waterways introduces The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill in the House.
The bill seeks to create a new framework to manage vessel traffic services besides, according to PTI, It It also aims to repealing the colonial Lighthouse Act, 1927.
2.09 pm: Both Houses of the Parliament have been adjourned till 3 pm amid uproar from Oppositin MPs. Earlier, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm. But proceedings could not be carried out as MPs kept protesting.
12.49 pm: As Opposition leaders enter the Well of the House and raise slogans, Naidu adjourns house till 2 pm.
12.42 pm: Naidu says that he will accept one notice – on the Covid-19 situation.
12.41 pm: Naidu says that the notices given by the Opposition leaders do not warrant immediate discussions. “I assure you that the notices will be taken up in due course of time,” he says. “Nobody can dictate the Chair.”
12.38 pm: Leader of the House of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal condemns the sloganeering during the prime minister’s address to introduce new Cabinet ministers. He says that this is the first time such a scene in the House during the introduction of ministers.
12.36 pm: Prime Minister says that some people are pained by the induction of members in the Cabinet. Opposition leaders continue to raise slogans.
12.34 pm: Uproar continues as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the House and introduces the newly-inducted Cabinet ministers.
12.31 pm: Naidu says that the chairperson gives the opening remarks during every session as Opposition members create a ruckus in the House. “I have been here for more than 20 years,” he says.
12.30 pm: Naidu appeals to Rajya Sabha members to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour in the House.
12.28 pm: Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu shares his opening remarks.
12.25 pm: Rajya Sabha proceedings resume after being adjourned for an hour.
11.44 am: Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid uproar by Opposition MPs, reports ANI. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was raising objections against the uproar as Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced his Council of Ministers in the House.
11.41 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned for one hour till 12.25 pm due to the death of two sitting members, Dr Raghunath Mohapatra and Rajeev Satav, reports The Times of India.
11.19 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Lok Sabha and introduces newly-inducted Cabinet ministers, reports the Hindustan Times.
“I thought that there would be enthusiasm in the Parliament as so many women, Dalits, tribals have become ministers,” he says. “This time our colleagues from agricultural and rural background, OBC community, have been given berth in Council of Ministers.”
11.18 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers to speak on the Covid-19 pandemic on Tuesday in Parliament, reports the Hindustan Times.
11.16 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tells the Opposition to ask tough questions but also allow the government to answer them in Parliament, reports NDTV. “This will boost the democracy, strengthen people’s trust and improve the pace of development,” he adds.
11.07 am: Ahead of the session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla says he hopes that all political parties will play a positive role in Parliament.
11.06 am: The Parliament session begins.
11.05 am: The Trinamool Congress MPs cycle to Parliament in protests against the rising fuel prices, reports The Times of India.
10.40 am: Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Maan moves an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha in favour of farmers protest seeking repeal of the agriculture laws.
10.38 am: Rashtriya Janata Dal Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha gives suspension of business notice to discuss “obfuscation of data related to deaths on account of the second wave of Covid-19”.
10.35 am: Communist Party of India (Marxist) MPs Elamaram Kareem and Dr V Sivadasan submit suspension of Business notice in Rajya Sabha and demand discussions on the farmers’ protest, reports ANI.
10.32 am: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma gives notice for suspension of Business to discuss increasing prices of essential commodities, reports ANI.
10.30 am: Congress MP Manish Tewari says that he has listed the Intelligence Services (Powers and Regulation), Bill 2011, “to check unauthorised surveillance by intelligence agencies”. He adds that he had introduced the proposed legislation in 2011.