Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, May 31, while interacting with entrepreneurs in Washington, claimed that his phone was being tapped by the Narendra Modi-led government. He also blatantly greeted his iPhone saying, “Hello, Modi ji,” as he assumed PM Modi was listening to his conversation.
“I presume my iPhone is being tapped. You need to establish rules with regard to the privacy of data information as a nation and also as an individual. If a nation-state decides that they want to tap your phone, no one can stop you. This is my sense,” said Rahul Gandhi who spent the first half of his day yesterday with Silicon Valley-based startup entrepreneurs
While speaking in an ongoing panel discussion on AI, Big Data, Machine Learning, and their implications on mankind and on issues like governance, social welfare, disinformation, and misinformation, Gandhi further said, “If the nation is interested in tapping the phone, then this is not a battle worth fighting. I think whatever I do and work, is available to the government.”
Gandhi, who is on a 10-day visit to the United States also tried to understand how these technologies actually work.
Rahul Gandhi claimed in 2021 that his phone was being tapped
This is not the first time that Gandhi has claimed that his phone is being tapped by the Indian government. In the year 2021, Rahul Gandhi made some grave allegations on the back of the debunked Pegasus ‘snoopgate’ story and claimed that all of his cell phones were being targeted and tapped by the Narendra Modi-led government.
He also claimed that Intelligence Bureau officers had called him back then to inform him that his phone was being tapped and therefore, he should be careful about what he says.
IB people report to Prince Pappu? pic.twitter.com/bteRNpxApN
— iMac_too (@iMac_too) July 23, 2021
At Cambridge University, Rahul Gandhi claimed Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to monitor his phone
Recently, on March 3, 2023, Gandhi launched one of his usual attacks on the Modi government and said that it was undermining the democracy of India. While delivering a presentation at Cambridge University, he also claimed that the Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to monitor his phone.
“I myself had Pegasus on my phone. A large number of politicians had Pegasus on their phones. I have been called by intelligence officers who told me, ‘Please be careful about what you are saying on the phone because we are sort of recording the stuff’. So this is the constant pressure that we feel. Cases are registered on the Opposition. I have got a number of criminal liable cases for things that should under no circumstances be criminal liable cases. That’s what we are trying to defend,” the Congress leader was quoted as saying.
So there is constant pressure that we feel. Cases are registered against Opposition. I've got a number of criminal liable cases registered against me for the things which shouldn't be under criminal cases: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2023
Congress leader used debunked Pegasus story to further his claims
In July 2021, a global collaborative investigative report declared that Pegasus, a powerful spyware developed by the Israeli cyber security company NSO Group, might have been used to target the mobile phones of individuals in several countries, including India. The report leaked around 300 numbers of Indian individuals being allegedly tapped by the software. The numbers included at least two ministers in the central government, three leaders from the opposition, a constitutional authority, and several journalists, civil society leaders, and business persons.
The opposition then accused the government as the Israeli company stated that a powerful tool such as Pegasus is sold only to governments or government agencies, and not to individuals. However, the Indian government on several occasions denied the allegations made by the opposition parties. The matter then reached the Supreme Court which appointed a committee to conclude that there was no evidence that the spyware application Pegasus was used to eavesdrop on the phones under examination.
Rahul Gandhi had refused to give his phone for the examination
Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that his phone is being tapped, forgot to mention that his phone was actually never tapped and that he was on the list of ‘potential targets’ of the Pegasus “expose”, which has now been thoroughly debunked. Though he claimed back in the year 2021 that ‘all his phones and electronic gadgets’ were tapped by the software, he had refused to give his phone for the examination to the committee appointed by the SC, ‘fearing’ data tampering.
It is pertinent to note that in India, set guidelines are prescribed for the tapping of phones. Under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraphic Act, 1885, state and central governments can tape phones, however, the guidelines and permissions required are extensive. No phone tapping is authorised without permission from the various departments involved and all departments have to fill out forms to justify the need for such tapping.
It is a bit fantastical for Rahul Gandhi to make allegations that he cannot substantiate since it is easier to make unverifiable statements that create an atmosphere of doubt. However, as of now, there is no proof that any of his phones were or are being tapped. While Rahul Gandhi speaks to friendly media and makes unsubstantiated claims, it must be remembered that he has provided no proof of his allegations other than his words which are not exactly reliable.
