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NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline JULY 30, 2021 | The Indian Eye 25

iOc, USa, condemns Pegasus surveillance in india

Our Bureau hi, leader of the Indian National secretaries of then Chief Min- veillance of journalists, human
Congress and a vehement critic ister H D Kumaraswamy and rights activists, or other per-
New York of the Modi Administration on former Chief Minister Sidda- ceived regime critics,” a White

he alleged snooping in In- their undemocratic policies. In ramaiah, may have been po- House spokesperson stated.
dia using Israeli spyware a statement, Mr. Gandhi said, “ tential targets of surveillance Significantly, the list includes
TPegasus of opposition targeted surveillance of the type by the Pegasus spyware in the a woman who made sexual ha-
leaders, journalists, activists, you describe, whether in regard run-up to the collapse of the rassment allegations against
and constitutional scholars is to me, other leaders of the op- Congress-JD (S) alliance gov- India’s former Chief Justice,
one more indication that funda- position or indeed any law-abid- ernment in 2019. whose turnaround from a crit-
mental freedoms in India are in ing citizen of India is illegal and If these reports are accurate, ic to a supporter of the Modi
serious jeopardy” said George deplorable.” it is undermining the democrat- regime policies has surprised
Abraham, Vice-Chairman of It is becoming evident that ically run election process and many. It may very well make a
the Indian Overseas Congress, power is all that matters to the severe violations of constitu- case study about how skeletons
USA. What we have been wit- current leadership at the Cen- tional provisions these author- in the closet of any individual
nessing over the last six years is tre, and they may stoop to any ities are sworn to uphold. can be unearthed and weapon-
the steady deterioration of the low to snatch it even at the cost The Biden administration ized to extract concessions or
rule of law and undermining of undermining constitutional has condemned the harass- demand behavioral changes.
of democracy, and the govern- freedom and individual liberties. ment and ‘extra-judicial surveil- It is a sad state of affairs in
ment must be held accountable” News reports suggest that lance of journalists and others India today that reveals how
added Mr. Abraham. key political players, including in reaction to the story. “The much the world’s largest de-
One of the most prominent the then deputy chief minister United States condemns the mocracy has deteriorated under
people on the list is Rahul Gand- Parameswara and the personal harassment of extra-judicial sur- the BJP rule.

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