Delhi Congress for joint House panel probe into Pegasus row

Leaders demand Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation

Delhi Congress workers protest outside the BJP head office in the Capital on Tuesday.

The Delhi Congress on Tuesday organised a protest outside the BJP headquaters and demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the reported use of Pegasus spyware against journalists and politicians.

It also demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah and alleged that he was guilty of treason and compromised national security. The protesters were stopped by the Delhi police from reaching the BJP headquarters.

Anti-democratic activity

Delhi Congress Chief Ch. Anil Kumar alleged that the BJP government had indulged in this illegal and anti-democratic activity due to their insecurity and authoritarianism as they feared that Rahul Gandhi’s widening popularity and the erosion of people’s faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be dangerous for them.

He added that the fact that Pegasus spyware is only sold to governments and to no one else, points fingers at Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah about their collusion in using this spy software against political opponents, Union Ministers, security forces, judiciary, journalists and other prominent persons, and it was an inexcusable breach of national security.

‘Dejected Opposition’

The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that a “dejected and desperate Opposition” was indulging in “fabricated allegations” regarding the Pegasus leaks.

West Delhi BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh sought to dismiss the alleged snooping row as “rubbish, concocted and baseless”.

“The matter of fact is that the Opposition cannot digest the rising popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the welfare policies his government has initiated for the overall development of the country,” he alleged. The MP said as many as 17 pro-farmer, pro-youth, pro-backwards’ and development related Bills were slated to be discussed and passed in the current monsoon session.

The Bills, he said, sought to benefit “practically all sections of society” and the Congress and other parties did not want this to happen.

“The Opposition did not allow the PM to introduce his new Ministers in the House shows they have scant regard for the upliftment of the poor, SCs, women and others who have been given due representation in the new Cabinet,” he alleged.