Pegasus, what? Surveillance is a poll promise
More skeletons tumbled out of the Pegasus cupboard this week, but the Government of India remains unfazed. The New York Times reported that India bought the spyware from Israel, as part of a deal that was agreed upon at the level of the Prime Ministers of both countries. Criticism of surveillance -- in this case, it allegedly involved a round-the-clock watching and listening of constitutional functionaries, journalists, political opponents of the government and even associates of the ruling party -- is centred around two concerns, namely, the breach of privacy and violation of democratic norms. But these concerns are likely not shared by a wide spectrum of society, if one goes by the politics over it. Pegasus is not a talking point in the ongoing campaign for elections to five State Assemblies. Far from it, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) is boasting to voters in Punjab that its government in Delhi has installed more surveillance cameras than New York and London, offering the same to them too! The party’s chief, Arvind Kejriwal, has a knack of identifying what the people want. He is right — Indians are more than willing to surrender whatever privacy they may have for security and welfare. Privacy may be a concern for only the small urban elite. That explains the nonchalance of the BJP and the Modi government in the face of credible allegations. The sensibilities of the old order are immaterial to the new politics built by Mr. Modi. The BJP narrative on Pegasus is that surveillance for national interest is not merely acceptable, but much needed.
