The NSO's statement that "trade only with governments" is very indicative

- What will the government do when the investigation reveals the fact of intrusion by spyware?

- Government's response to Pegasus espionage is quite different from that of other nations.

- Finance Code ઃ p. Chidambaram

The term used in the above heading refers to the alleged use of spyware to spy on political leaders, judges, government employees, activists, journalists, and business leaders. The four words "business only with governments" were mentioned in a written correspondence by the NSO group, which owns spyware Pegasus. An earlier statement from the group said, "NSO sells its technologies only to law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies."

As well as the NSO group, its clients i.e. the governments have distanced themselves from the original use of this spyware. Some client-governments may have misused spyware. In the case of India, such questions are being raised, which are as follows:

1) Was the Government of India or any of its agencies a client of NSO group?

This is a straightforward and simple question, which should be answered yes or no, but for some inexplicable reason, the government has avoided giving a direct answer. The government's reluctance to answer the question has raised suspicions against it.

3) The government's possible response has become complicated due to such a report of a news organization based on an international investigation. The report states that the NSO group had an Indian client. So if the Indian government was not a client here, who else was? That is the question.

If the government says we are not clients, then naturally the question arises as to who was that Indian client? The government does not know how to answer this question, because whatever the answer may be, it will raise a series of questions for which the government has no answer.

2) If the Government of India or any of its agencies was a client, when was this spyware obtained? That is also the question.

If the government had faith, it would have already answered the question in the negative, against which the question did not arise. Again the government has also avoided answering this question for some inexplicable reason, and therefore the suspicion has deepened.

Strange indifference

. Investigations by Amnesty International and subsequent reports have uncovered a long list of 'persons of interest'. Let's put this list aside and discuss the phones whose so-called spyware was inserted. According to a news agency, Ashwini Vaishnav and Prahlad Patel, both ministers, were among those whose phones were infected with spyware. Why doesn't the government reject this report?

We, as citizens of the country, want to know whether spyware was inserted in the phones of these ministers. Why doesn't the government seem concerned about this issue? Wouldn't it have been appropriate if the government had ordered these ministers to submit the phones used during 2016-17 for forensic investigation? The government has not shown the slightest enthusiasm for this. This inertia has deepened suspicions against the government.

The findings of the investigation are slowly coming out. The government is trying to hide the truth, but no manipulation can hide the fact that the NSO group had an Indian client and some phones were infiltrated in India. I am sure, the name of the Indian client will come out soon. It is also possible that some phones show readiness for forensic investigation and what will the government do when its investigation reveals the fact of intrusion by spyware?

India's opposite attitude than other countries

The Modi government's response to Pegasus espionage is quite different from that of other nations such as France, Israel and Hungary.

France has taken the allegations seriously and ordered a detailed investigation and held talks with the Israeli prime minister. The Prime Minister of Israel has assured France to provide the facts that will come out in the investigation carried out in his country.

Israel has ordered a review by the National Security Council of allegations against the NSO group. Israeli government officials have also visited the NSO group's office, indicating that they are serious about the investigation.

"Every country needs such equipment, but he has refrained from saying anything about Pegasus spyware," said Hungary's justice minister. His government has been widely criticized.

In India, the government opposes any kind of investigation and refuses to discuss it in Parliament. At the parliamentary committee meeting, the BJP MPs refused to sign the attendance sheet and disrupted the proceedings.

India is on par with Hungary today. Are you proud of it?