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Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss a news report that "reveals that the Indian Government is in the market for new spyware."Tewari said, "A report in the Financial Times dated 31st March 2023 reveals that the Indian Government is in the market for new spyware. The NSO, the company that manufactures and sells Pegasus, has been blacklisted by some countries.""The report further reveals that the Government is willing to spend up to USD 120mn or around Rs 1000 crore. Around a dozen spyware sellers are expected to bid to the Indian Government," he added.He further said that the procurement of such Surveillance Technology without parliamentary oversight has grave implications for the right to privacy of individuals guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian ConstitutionUnder these circumstances, the House must adjourn to discuss the matter of the Government reportedly seeking to procure Pegagus-like surveillance technology, he ...
Congress MP Manish Tewari wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday over the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, being sent to a joint committee and demanded that it be examined by the standing committee. Tewari's letter to Birla comes a day after senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lodged a protest with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar over the bill being sent to a joint committee and demanded that it be examined by the standing committee, headed by Ramesh. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav introduced the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Bill was then sent to a joint committee of both the Houses for discussion. The Bill seeks to bring clarity to the country's forest conservation law and exempt certain categories of land from its purview to fast-track strategic and security-related projects of national importance. In his letter to Birla, Tewari raised the issue of the "unusual manner" in which the Forest (Conservation
Congress leader Manish Tewari on Wednesday accused the BJP government of legitimising corruption in Gujarat and dubbed it a "dangerous sign" for democracy.With the Gujarat assembly elections round the corner, Congress has started agressively attacking the BJP who has been in power in the state for the last 27 years and the recent Morbi incident has provided an opportunity to the grand old party to accuse the Bhupendra Patel-led government in Gujarat for "legitimising corruption".Citing the recent Morbi incident that took place in the state which claimed the lives of over 130 people, the Congress leader said that the BJP has become "arrogant" as they(BJP) think they cannot be removed from power."You (BJP) legitimised corruption, and then you say that you want to implement this model in the entire country. The legitimisation of corruption is a dangerous sign for democracy," he said while urging people of the state to "break this arrogance" in the upcoming Assembly elections by ...