P. Chidambaram

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for targeted surveillance in India, observing the state cannot get a "free pass" every time the spectre of national security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a "mute spectator" and be the bugbear it shies away from.

Chidambaram, who is the Congress’ senior election observer for the assembly polls next year, asserted that the Trinamool Congress’ entry into Goa "appears to be an imposition from the top that is based in West Bengal” and said he does not know the Mamata Banerjee-led party’s motive in trying to start a unit in Goa by "encouraging defections” from other parties.

P Chidambaram, who is the AICC Goa poll in-charge, was addressing party workers after inaugurating the state election campaign office in Panaji.

Chidambaram, who was addressing party workers in Canacona Assembly constituency in South Goa, said he was shocked to learn that "a defector was given a ticket not once, not twice, but three times".

"The arresting police officer told her she was arrested under Section 151 of the CrPC. Any person arrested under S. 151 cannot be detained for more than 24 hours, unless there is an order of the judicial magistrate under any other provision of law," Chidambaram said.

Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram said the Congress never sold off strategic assets. “We always ensured that there is no monopoly in monetisation as we chose assets based on criteria," he said.

His remarks came after the UN Security Council, under India's Presidency, adopted a strong resolution demanding that the territory of Afghanistan not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists and that it expects the Taliban will adhere to commitments made by it on regarding the safe and orderly departure from the country of Afghans and all foreign nationals.

He accused the member secretary of the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) of bowing to hate and prejudice and asked him whether he would omit Henry Ford while celebrating the birth of the motor car or Wright brothers while celebrating the birth of aviation.

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that divulging information on whether the country uses spyware like Pegasus or not would involve national security aspect as enemies of the nation or those indulging in terror activities would change or modulate their software.

NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance software company, has been under increasing attack following allegations that its Pegasus software was used for surveillance of phones of people in several countries, including India.

P Chidambaram raised the issue when Parliamentary Affairs Minister V Muraleedharan was called to lay official papers on behalf of six of his ministerial colleagues.

Attacking the government, Chidambaram said another case of misuse of Pegasus spyware has been revealed now with France's national cybersecurity agency confirming that Pegasus spyware was infiltrated into phones belonging to two journalists of Mediapart, an investigative journal in France.

French President Macron has spoken to Bennett over reports that Morocco's security forces may have used the Pegasus spyware to snoop on his cellphones.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said the minister should answer if the government acquired the Pegasus software/spyware.

"Vaccine shortage is a fact. Vaccine production is exaggerated. Vaccine import is a mystery. Vaccinating the entire adult population by December 2021 is an empty boast," he said.

Reacting to the development, Chidambaram said, "Some elementary truths: Credit guarantee is not credit. Credit is more debt. No banker will lend to a debt-ridden business."

Prime Minister Modi on Sunday said India is a natural ally for the G7 and its partners in defending democracy, freedom of thought and liberty from a host of threats stemming from authoritarianism, terrorism, violent extremism and economic coercion.

His attack on the government came after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said US pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have declined to sell coronavirus vaccines to the city government as they want to directly deal with the Centre.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait issued notice and sought responses of Chidambaram and others on the CBI’s plea challenging the trial court order directing supply of documents to the accused.

"The government is laying a trap in which scientists and medical experts will fall, and the government will pass the blame on them," Chidambaram said.