IWPC demands independent probe in Pegasus snooping row

It is unfortunate that in a democracy like India, journalists have to go through something like this in the course of their work, the journalist body said, adding under no circumstances should the independence of media be compromised.

The Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) Monday demanded an independent probe into the use of Pegasus spyware for alleged snooping on journalists. In a series of posts on the microblogging site Twitter, the journalist body said it is ''unfortunate'' that in a democracy like India, journalists have to go through ''something like this'' in the course of their work. ''IWPC strongly condemns the spying on the phones of 40 Indian journalists,'' it tweeted. Citing media reports, the IWPC noted the Israeli software allegedly used for snooping is sold only to the governments.

''And, as the government has come out with a denial, we demand an independent inquiry in the whole matter,'' it said. The IWPC said independent journalism is one of the ''most important tools'' to uphold the rights that the Constitution has vested into the citizens of this country. ''It is unfortunate that in a democracy like India, journalists have to go through something like this in the course of their work,'' the journalist body said, adding ''under no circumstances should the independence of media be compromised''.