instagram.com/ @thesikhtimes facebook.com/ thesikhtimes qaumipatrika VISIT: PUBLISHED FROM Delhi, Haryana, Uttar www.thesikhtimes.in Pradesh, Punjab, The Sikh Times Email:[email protected] Chandigarh, Himachal and Jammu National Daily Vol. 13 No. 76 RNI NO. DELENG/2008/25465 New Delhi, Saturday, 31 July, 2021 [email protected] 9971359517 12 pages. 2/- Pegasus snooping case: 500 people, groups Delhi write to CJI seeking SC intervention New Delhi: Over 500 individuals and Yamuna water level crosses danger groups have written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana seeking immediate intervention of the Supreme Court in the alleged Pegasus snooping matter and declare a mark, alert sounded in low-lying areas "moratorium on the export, sale, transfer and use of Pegasus" spyware in the country. Yamuna Pushta area,” an official said. The water The letter urged the top court to direct the Centre and the Israeli firm NSO to level was recorded at court official who had raised allegations of 205.22 at the Old / provide a time-bound answers to the The irrigation and several questions regarding the state- sexual harassment against then Chief Railway Bridge at 8:30 Justice Ranjan Gogoi. "For women, the am. It was 203.74 metres sponsored cyber-warfare that has been flood control waged against Indian citizens, given the Pegasus scandal is deeply concerning, for at 8:30 pm on Thursday. speaking out against the state and men in “The water level was revelations of the Pegasus Project, an department has international collaborative investigation positions of state power has meant that their 205.10 metres at 6 am being conducted by several international lives are wrecked by such surveillance and 205.17 at 7 am,” the deployed 13 boats in media and research organisations. They permanently. Human rights defenders have official said, adding it is have expressed shock over media reports been imprisoned, and victims of sexual likely to rise further. A different areas and put that the spyware was used for surveillance harassment have also not been spared such flood alert is declared 21 others on standby. of women students, academics, journalists, shocking forms of state sponsored cyber- when the Yamuna human rights defenders, lawyers and crimes, which are analogous to digital forms crosses the "warning victims of sexual violence, it said. "Above of state terror," it said. mark" of 204.50 metres. New Delhi. The Delhi administration on Friday all, we look to the Supreme Court to declare The letter said the Pegasus software is sold The situation is being monitored round- water from the Yumananagr-located barrage a moratorium on the export, sale, transfer only to governments, ostensibly for sounded an “alert” as the water level of the the-clock, a district administration official Yamuna in the capital rose to 205.22 metres, at the rate of 19,056 cusecs at 8 am. The flow and use of Pegasus in India." said the "national security' and "counter-terrorism" said. rate was 25,839 cusecs at 8 pm on Thursday. signatories to the letter. Besides, they have purposes. "The Indian list of targets precariously has crossed to the ''danger mark'' The river is in spate because of rains in Delhi of 205.33 metres, as rains continued to pound Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund requested the top court to adopt a gender- indicates that the software was used, not to and the upper catchment areas, a MeT barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge is just sexual harassment, data protection and counter terrorism, but to gather information northwest India, officials said. The irrigation department official said, adding it may swell and flood control department has deployed 13 increased after heavy rainfall in catchment privacy policy. "The Pegasus spyware on, and perhaps thereby seek to control, further as more rains are predicted in areas. One cusec is equivalent to 28.32 litres investigation has unveiled how its military opposition politicians, the judiciary, the boats in different areas and put 21 others on northwest India. The weather department has standby. The water level of river Yamuna per second. In 2019, the flow rate had peaked grade malware installed on the phones of Press, as well as activists and others in civil also issued an "orange alert" for moderate to 8.28 lakh cusec on August 18-19, and the those targeted converts the device for use by society," it said. The letter has been signed crossed the danger mark, at 205.33 metres, rains in Delhi-NCR for the third day on the said Delhi Disaster Management Authority. water level of the Yamuna had hit the 206.60 a consumer to an object that spies on the by various activists including Aruna Roy, trot on Friday. According to the Delhi flood metre-mark, breaching the danger mark of With Haryana discharging more water into the individual, steals data and transmits data to Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander; scholars control room, the discharge rate at the 205.33 metres. The Delhi government had to unknown persons/databases. This has been and eminent lawyers like Vrinda Grover, river from the Hathnikund Barrage, the Delhi Hathnikund Barrage peaked to 1.60 lakh launch evacuation and relief operations after Police and the East Delhi district defined as cyber warfare by experts in the Jhuma Sen among others. An international cusecs on Tuesday afternoon, the highest this the overflowing river submerged many low- field and it is nothing less than an act of state media consortium has reported that over administration have started evacuating people year so far. The water discharged from the lying areas. In 1978, the river had swelled to living on the floodplains of the Yamuna in the sponsored cyber terrorism against 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers barrage normally takes two-three days to the all-time record water level of 207.49 individuals," the letter said. It also referred were on a list of potential targets for capital. “These people are being shifted to reach the capital. Haryana had been releasing metres. In 2013, it had risen to 207.32 metres. shelter homes of the city government in the to the issue of alleged snooping on the apex surveillance using Pegasus spyware. Issue of normalising foreign travel of Indian Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin directs to meet PM Narendra Modi, cabinet withdrawal of defamation cases citizens being taken up with countries: MEA expansion likely to be discussed against media outlets New Delhi: In what would be his first visit to New Delhi. The Ministry of External International Development (USAID) Delhi after taking charge as the Karnataka Affairs on Thursday said the issue of which outlines the details. "India and the Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai will meet Chennai. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national normalising foreign travel of Indian US are engaged as part of the Quad capital on Friday. The new Karnataka Chief Stalin on Thursday ordered the withdrawal of citizens is being taken up with 90 defamation cases against journalists, vaccine initiative to supply vaccines to Minister will also meet Union Cabinet dailies and television channels. authorities of various countries and countries in the Indo-Pacific region from Ministers during his visit to the national noted that some of them have taken early 2022. India stands united with the The cases were filed between 2012 and capital. During his meeting with PM Modi and positive steps on it in view of the US and several partners in working other top BJP leaders, the proposed Karnataka February 2021 against editors, printers and significant improvement in the Covid- towards containing the Covid pandemic publishers of newspapers and television cabinet expansion is also likely to be channels when the AIADMK was in power. 19 situation in India. and for quick global economic recovery," discussed. Following the leadership change in he said. On import of vaccines from the Between 2011 and 2016 alone, the Tamil Nadu Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) the Karnataka government, senior BJP leader Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the US, he said India's health regulators are KS Eshwarappa had clarified that he is ready government initiated 213 defamation engaged with foreign vaccine lawsuits against persons who criticised government will continue to push for regard. We will continue to press for further to join the cabinet led by Chief Minister further measures from countries to ease measures from all the other countries," manufacturers in this regard. Asked about Basavaraj Bommai, unlike another senior former CM J Jayalalithaa. The list of 213 leader Jagadish Shettar. Addressing media, cases was presented to the Supreme Court by Indians' travel abroad. "We attach great Bagchi said. Asked about the United the impending WHO approval for Bharat importance to these issues of easing travel Kingdom's donation of 10 million vaccines Biotech's Covaxin, Bagchi said the Eshwarappa said though his supporters are the Tamil Nadu government in 2016 during a demanding the post of Deputy Chief Minister defamation case procedure after the Supreme restrictions. The issue of normalising travel to the Commonwealth and Asian countries, company had submitted its request along of Indian citizens abroad has been and is with all necessary documentation earlier in for him, he would accept whatever role the Court inquired about the defamation cases he said the announcement does not cover party decides for him. "I can not say, the filed by the then-AIADMK government. being taken up with the concerned India. Asked about US Secretary of State July to the WHO. "I would refer you to the authorities in other countries," he said at an company for further updates including on earlier posts were enough for me.