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. 78 RNI NO. DELENG/2008/25465 New Delhi, Monday, 2 August, 2021 [email protected] 9971359517 12 pages. 2/- Pegasus spyware row PM Modi to launch digital payment Supreme Court to hear pleas seeking solution e-RUPI on August 2 / Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch e-RUPI, a person and court-monitored probe on August 5 purpose-specific digital payment solution, on August 2. Simmi Kaur Babbar Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a person and purpose- New Delhi. The Supreme Court will has several grave political and security specific digital payment solution, hear a batch of petitions seeking a ramifications, especially considering e-RUPI, on August 2 via video court-monitored probe into the that the devices of government conferencing. Pegasus spyware controversy on ministers, senior political figures and The e-RUPI initiative will be one of Thursday, August 5. A bench constitutional functionaries which may the programmes launched over the comprising Chief Justice N V contain sensitive information have been years to limit touchpoints between Ramana and Justice Surya Kant will targeted,” the plea added. Besides the the government and the hear three separate petitions in the plea filed by N Ram and Sasi Kumar, beneficiary and "ensure that the case. two separate petitions have been filed in benefits reach its intended In a hearing on July 30, a bench headed the apex court by advocate M L Sharma beneficiaries in a targeted and by Chief Justice N V Ramana took and John Brittas. leak-proof manner”, the Prime note of the submissions of senior What is the Pegasus spyware Minister's Office said in a lawyer Kapil Sibal, who appeared for controversy? statement. e-RUPI is a cashless the petitioners in the case. The top Several reports by an international media and contactless instrument for court agreed that the plea needed to be consortium alleged that over 300 digital payments. It acts as an e- heard in view of the large using military-grade spyware is an verified mobile phone numbers, voucher based on a QR code or its UPI platform, in collaboration with the ramifications of the alleged snooping. Several unacceptable violation of the right to privacy including of two ministers, over 40 SMS string, which is delivered to the mobile Department of Financial Services, Ministry eminent citizens, politicians and journalists which has been held to be a fundamental right journalists, three opposition leaders, activists phones of the beneficiaries. e-RUPI of Health and Family Welfare and National have accused the central agencies of snooping underArticles 14 (equality before the law), 19 and one sitting judge in India could have been connects the sponsors of the services with Health Authority. “It is expected to be a over them by using Israeli spyware Pegasus. (freedom of speech and expression) and 21 targeted for hacking through Israeli spyware the beneficiaries and service providers in a revolutionary initiative in the direction of What do PILs over Pegasus spyware say? The (protection of life and personal liberty) by the Pegasus. The Opposition has accused the digital manner without any physical ensuring a leak-proof delivery of welfare petitions filed before the Supreme Court, Supreme Court,” one of the pleas read. The central government of not being transparent interface. It also ensures that the payment to services. It can also be used for delivering including those by senior journalists N Ram plea claimed that the hack occasioned by the on the issue and demanded clarification on if the service provider is made only after the services under schemes meant for providing and Sashi Kumar, claimed the alleged Pegasus spyware constituted a criminal the spyware was used to snoop on Indians. transaction is completed. Being prepaid in drugs and nutritional support under Mother snooping represented an attempt by the offence punishable under Sections 66 The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament nature, it assures timely payment to the and Child welfare schemes, TB eradication central agencies to muzzle the exercise of free (computer related offences), 66B has also been affected by the row, with the service provider without the involvement of programmes, drugs and diagnostics under speech and expression of dissent in India. The (punishment for dishonestly receiving stolen Opposition accusing the NDA government of any intermediary. The one-time payment schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan pleas, which were filed on July 27, seek a computer resource or communication running away from a discussion. However, IT mechanism of e-RUPI will allow users to Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, fertilizer direction to the Centre to disclose if the device), 66E (punishment for violation of Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the reports redeem the voucher without a card, digital subsidies, etc,” PMO stated. “Even the government or any of its agencies obtained a privacy) and 66F (punishment for claiming illegal surveillance using Pegasus payments app or internet banking access, at private sector can leverage these digital license for Pegasus spyware and used it, either cyberterrorism) of the ITAct, punishable with spyware were aimed at maligning Indian the service provider. The e-RUPI platform vouchers as part of their employee welfare directly or indirectly, to conduct surveillance imprisonment and/or fine. “The attack prima democracy. He said there was no substance in has been developed by the National and corporate social responsibility in any manner. The targeted surveillance facie constitutes an act of cyber-terrorism that the allegations. Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on programmes,” it added. Problems started with Nehru's 1947 speech Amit Shah to lay 64% of promises made in foundation of Rs 150 crore election manifesto fulfilled: from Red Fort: MP Minister on inflation Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Vindhyachal Corridor Bhopal. ABJP minister in Madhya was the preserve of a few industrialists. Jaipur. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Pradesh on Saturday said the problem The inflation is down and people's Gehlot on Saturday said that 64 per cent of of inflation does not arise “in a day or incomes have increased during the BJP project in Uttar Pradesh the promises made in the 2018 assembly two”, and the economy began to go rule, the minister claimed. Congress election manifesto have been fulfilled so far. downhill with the “mistakes” of workers should rather protest in front of New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah “Despite the first and the second wave of Jawaharlal Nehru's speech from the “10 Janpath” (party president Sonia will visit Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur on Covid-19, the government has successfully ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, Gandhi's residence), he quipped. Sunday (August 1) where he will lay the implemented the promises it made during the 1947. Minister for Medical Education Congress leaders in the state ridiculed foundation stone of Rs 150 crore 2018 assembly election. In the last 2.5 years, Vishvas Sarang was reacting to a Sarang's comments. MP Congress Vindhyachal Corridor Project (VCP). Shah along with complete development of the planned protest by the Congress over spokesperson KK Mishra said, “Vishwas will also inaugurate a ropeway that will cost state, every effort has been made to ease the rising prices and other issues. Sarang, an eligible minister of Shivraj's Rs 16 crore in Vindhyachal. pain of those in need,” he said. Talking to reporters in Bhopal, Sarang [Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan] The minister will be accompanied by Chief “At least 321 out of 501 goals, that is 64 per Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Vindhyachal said that “if the credit for increasing from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August circus, is blaming the country's inflation cent of promises of the public manifesto have inflation by crippling the economy after the on Nehru's speech in 1947 when he was not Corridor project is being built on the lines of been fulfilled. Along with that, 138 other 15, 1947,” the BJP leader said. The the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor country's independence goes to anyone, it is Narendra Modi government, on the other even born. As a departmental [health] initiatives are under progress,” he further the Nehru family”. “Inflation does not rise minister, can you state if Nehru was also project of Varanasi. Shah is expected to said. This comes a day after the election hand, has strengthened the economy in the reach Devri airport in the afternoon after in a day or two. The foundation of the past seven years, he said. The BJP responsible for the thousands of deaths due manifesto review committee meeting was to lack of beds, oxygen and Remdesivir which he, along with the CM, will head to held in Jaipur. As the buzz around cabinet economy is not laid in a day or two. The government has launched schemes for the country's economy has deteriorated due to during the coronavirus pandemic?” Vindhyachal temple for ‘bhumi pujan’. “The expansion in Rajasthan has been gaining welfare of the poor and their participation in Union Home Minister and Chief Minister ground, political experts see it as an attempt the mistakes of the speech that [the first the economy, Sarang said, adding that Narendra Saluja, another Congress prime minister] Jawaharlal Nehru delivered spokesperson, said the BJP ministry. will land at Devri airport around 2.40 p.m. to inform the party high command about the during the Congress regime the economy From the helipad, they will go to state government's performance before final Vindhyachal temple. After offering prayers decision is made over cabinet expansion.