Modi turning India into surveillance state: Congress on snooping

The Congress on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of turning India into a "surveillance state" over its order to put all computers under the watch of intelligence and investigating agencies, and said it was a direct assault on the fundamental right to privacy.

Addressing the media here, Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma said the government's move was unacceptable and the opposition will collectively raise the issue in Parliament.

"This is a very serious development, through this order the Modi government is turning India into a surveillance state.

"It is the ultimate assault on the fundamental right to privacy and is in direct conflict with the Supreme Court's order, which held right to privacy as a fundamental right," said Sharma.

He also claimed that a host of people including Supreme Court and High Court judges and politicians' phones were being tapped.

"We have raised the issue several times in Parliament that a large number of people, including politicians, judges, MPs and top government officials' phones were being tapped by the government.

"The latest order of putting all computers under surveillance is unacceptable in any democracy and we collectively oppose it. The opposition will unitedly raise this issue in Parliament.

"But as this government is unwilling to do, that is why it is not allowing Parliament to function," added Sharma.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also attacked the Modi government over the issue.

"Modi government mocks and flouts the fundamental right to privacy with brazen impunity. Having lost elections, now wants to scan and snoop your computers. 'Big Brother Syndrome' is truly embedded in NDA's DNA," said Surjewala.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday issued an order giving 10 central agencies, including the CBI, the ED and the Delhi Police to "intercept, monitor and decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer".

--IANS

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