Opposition space
As India undergoes another monumental electoral exercise, the spotlight intensifies on the condition of its democratic institutions, particularly the role and effectiveness of the opposition.
In a sharp retort to Congress leader P Chidambaram’s remarks pointing fingers towards government agencies for alleged hacking of Opposition leaders’ mobile devices, the Bharatiya Janata Party Wednesday reminded him of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s office being bugged when he was the home minister during the UPA government.
At least nine Opposition leaders, including Congress party’s Shashi Tharoor, KC Venugopal, Supriya Shrinate, Tuesday claimed that they have received a warning message from Apple, saying their iPhones may be targeted by “state-sponsored” attackers.
Reacting to their claims, Chidambaram had asked why only Opposition leaders were targeted and pointed fingers towards “a government agency”.
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“It is undeniable that hundreds of Opposition leaders got an alert from Apple of a state-sponsored attempt to compromise their phones Why only Opposition leaders? Who will be interested in compromising the phones of Opposition leaders? After the Pegasus mystery (not resolved until this date), the finger of suspicion points to a government agency. At the moment it is only a suspicion,” the Congress leader wrote on Twitter, now renamed X.
Responding to Chidambaram’s remarks, BJP’s Malviya reminded him of an infamous incident of then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s office being bugged. The incident allegedly took place during the UPA government and Chidambaram was India’s home minister at that time.
“You were the Home Minister when former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s office was bugged. Does this ring a bell, Mr Chidambaram?” Malviya asked.
Malviya was referring to a June 2011 letter of Pranab Mukherjee to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In the letter, the then finance minister told Singh that CBDT found adhesives planted in his office and south a detailed investigation into the matter.
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