Govt moves to disallow MP’s query whether it engaged NSO

CPI (M) MP BINOY VISWAM SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS MISUSING RAJYA SABHA RULES AND TAKING AN ALIEN STAND ON TRUTH

NEW DELHI: The Centre sought to disallow in the Rajya Sabha, a question seeking details on whether the government entered into a contract with Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group, at the centre of a global controversy over the misuse of its Pegasus spyware to hack phones of journalists, activists and politicians, stating that “the ongoing issue of Pegasus” is subjudice after “several PILs have been filed in the Supreme Court,” according to officials aware of the development and documents reviewed by HT.

The Centre wrote to the Rajya Sabha secretariat earlier this week seeking that a “Provisionally Admitted Question”(PAQ) asked by CPI (M) MP Binoy Viswam scheduled to be answered on August 12 in the upper house, not be allowed.

“I have been informed inform companies ally that my question was disallowed but I am yet to get a formal response... the Government is misusing Rajya Sabha rules and taking an alien stand on truth. They must face questions on the issue of the Pegasus,” said Viswam.

In his “PAQ, reviewed by HT, with the subject ‘Government of India MoU with Foreign Companies,’ Viswam asked: “Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state (a) the number of MoUs Government has entered into with foreign companies, the details sector-wise; (b) whether any of these MoU’s with foreign has been in order to curb terror activities through cyber security, the details of the same; and (c) whether Government has entered into a MoU with NSO Group in order to curb terror activities through cyber security across the nation, if so, provide details thereof?”

In the letter sent to the Rajya Sabha secretariat requesting that the question not be allowed, the Centre said: “It would be noted that Part (a) to (c) of PAQ seeks to know about the ongoing issue of Pegasus owned by NSO Group. On this issue, several PILs have been filed in the Supreme Court, making this issue subjudice.”

It added: “According to Rule 47 (xix) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Council of States (Rajya Sabha), dealing with admissibility of questions, an admitted question “shall not ask for information on matter which is under adjudication by a court of law having jurisdiction in any part of India”.