Govt breaching privacy by seeking call records of citizens, making India surveillance state: Cong

The Congress on Thursday accused the government of seeking call data records of millions of mobile users in Delhi and nine states, saying this was a breach of citizens' privacy and an attempt to "convert India into a surveillance state".

Congress' senior spokesperson Anand Sharma, who is also the deputy leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, said the party MPs raised the matter, which is in clear violation of existing guidelines and rules, in the Upper House.

"This is a clear violation of the existing guidelines and rules, and also breaches the privacy of citizens concerned," he said.

"We are concerned that by these actions, India is being converted into a surveillance state. What has happened and what continues to happen, is illegal and in violation of law."