Will the Pegasus scandal prove to be a watershed moment for the Modi government?
If the Indian government is complicit in snooping on its citizens, the West, which professes to be the upholder of democracy, will be enraged.
The Pegasus scandal is finally here to haunt the Modi government and its ramification could be as devastating as the Bofors scandal which almost killed the Congress for a decade and forced it to remain out of power. The way in which the Government is beating around the bush point to a cover up of unimaginable proportion.
Supreme Court refuses to give free run to the Centre
The Supreme Court has appointed a Committee to get to the facts associated with the Pegasus scandal. The Supreme Court had also given numerous opportunities to the Central government to come clean on the issue. However, the Government answers were ambiguous in the beginning and later it out rightly refused to divulge any details, citing national security.
Creating the committee, the Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that the government cannot be given a free run in this matter and accountability for any wrongdoing has to be fixed.
Ironical to witness Centre cite national security over snooping investigation calls
It is time the Modi government sees the writings on the wall clearly. The time to question the leaked database is long over. France President has already ordered an enquiry into the tapping of his phones by Pegasus.
The Modi government knows something which is damaging to its credibility. Either it was hand in gloves with the Israeli snooping by Pegasus or at least knew about it but kept mum.
It could have negated the need for the highest court of land to put its foot down had it ordered a free and fair enquiry. The Indian government, however, cannot trivialize the issue by citing national security or other pressing matters.
Snooping allegations, if true, will hit India’s relations with the West
The ramifications of the issue internationally will also be great. The West which could be proclaimed as the upholders of democracy will not take kindly if the Indian Government was involved in snooping upon its citizens. The image of India as the world’s biggest democracy will take a severe beating.
The Modi Government is looking totally isolated among the nations which cherish democracy and admire the Indian model of democracy. The government cannot call the attack on human rights and democracy by Pegasus as manufactured or a plot by enemies on the nation.
