The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Modi Government has been “caught snooping” after WhatsApp said that journalists and human rights activists in India have been targets of surveillance, as it urged the Supreme Court to hold the Centre accountable over the issue.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said India woke up today (Thursday) to a bone chilling news of “flagrant abuse” of privacy by agencies of the present BJP Government “We urge upon the Supreme Court to take suo moto cognisance of this brazen and blatant illegal hacking of telephones and introduction of spyware by the BJP Government agencies and conduct a court-monitored inquiry,” he said.
“We suspect that many opposition leaders and judges of the Supreme Court and high courts are on this list,” Surjewala said.
The Congress leader said the BJP Government has maintained a “conspiratorial silence” on the entire issue with the Information and Broadcasting Secretary and others refusing to respond.
“Modi Govt caught snooping! Appalling but not Surprising! After all, BJP Govt- (1) Fought against our right to privacy. (2) Set up a multi crore Surveillance Structure until stopped by SC. SC must take immediate cognisance and issue notice to BJP Government,” Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet. “A Government that spies on journalists/activists/Opposition leaders and treats its own citizens like criminals has lost the right to lead in our democracy. We urge the SC to take suo motu cognizance of these illegal activities and to hold this government to account,” he said in another tweet.
Tagging a media report which claimed that 1.3 million Indian payment card details are up for sale on the dark web, Surjewala also alleged that “data theft and data fraud” has become the norm since Modi Government came to power.”Is this why Modi ji calls Data the new Oil (for BJP Machine?). 1.3 million Indian Payment Card Details are up for sale on Dark Web putting the card holders vulnerable to yet another synchronised fraud,” he said.