iPhone attacks: Mahua writes to LS Speaker seeking protection of Opposition members

After receiving a threat message on her iPhone cautioning her against “state-sponsored attackers attempting remote compromises”, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker asking for protection so that Opposition MPs can execute their duty of holding the ruling dispensation accountable for their actions.

On Tuesday, TMC had accused the Home Ministry of snooping on Opposition leaders ahead of Lok Sabha polls. On Wednesday, Mahua wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that the “attack” on phones of Opposition party leaders, including that of her, “is doubly shocking in light of the Pegasus software (sold only to governments) that was used to compromise the devices of various members of the Opposition, dissenting journalists and members of civil society during 2019-2021.” She alleged that Abhishek Banerjee, one of her party MPs, was targeted using Pegasus software earlier. However, despite the matter being raised in the House at the time, no debate was allowed and no conclusive report has been filed by any agency.

Referring to the iPhone attacks, she wrote “International organisations like Access Now and Citizen Lab in September, 2023 have confirmed the validity of Apple’s threat notifications and lend it enormous credibility. In March, 2023 reports in the Financial Times stated that the Indian government is potentially escalating its budget for spyware contracts to USD 120 million involving companies like Intellexa Alliance, featured in a report on government spying called ‘The Predator Files’ “.

She alleged that for the past few years targeted attacks on the democratic freedoms of Members of the Opposition and voices of dissent are apparent and this includes misuse of central agencies and using majoritarian force to repeal, amend and create laws empowering the government to muzzle dissent. Numerous cases of planting fabricated evidence on communication devices have come to light and innocent citizens have been framed to meet political ends.

Mahua requested the Speaker to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and seek accountability from the concerned authorities into this “flagrant breach of law, Constitutional freedoms, and our rights as Members of Parliament.”