Digvijaya suspects 'govt followers' behind Twitter account hack

The Congress has filed a complaint with the Cyber cell of Delhi Police

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday suspected role of "followers of the government" behind hacking of Twitter accounts of the party and its vice president Rahul Gandhi and demanded a probe in it.

Latching on to the development, Singh also raised questions over demonetisation and wondered if bank accounts will be safe when people move to plastic money as the Centre has been asking them to do in order to combat black money.

"We suspect some of the government's followers only have hacked the official account of Congress. Congress' account is being hacked, why not of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's)? Rahul Gandhi's account is being hacked, why not that of Narendra Modi or Amit Shah? This should be probed," Singh told reporters on Parliament premise.

Hitting back, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Congress will blame BJP even if its leaders experience stomachache. Naqvi, though said the government will take "relevant" steps when Congress files complaints.

"As far as Congress party is concerned, it will blame BJP even if its leaders have stomachache. We can't comment on that, we don't have solution for it," the minister said.

When asked about Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stating that prompt action has been taken in the matter, Singh appeared unimpressed and contended the government is still not aware of who are the people behind the hacking episode.

"...Then what digital world the Prime Minister is talking about? That all should use plastic currency. Can the Prime Minister assure the 120 crore people of the country that if one's account is hacked and money is stolen from any place, China, Europe, America...Will Modiji compensate for that?" he asked.

Noting some countries have professional hackers who target establishment of other countries, another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal demanded the government must assure people it will be ahead of "such hackers" and that accounts of public will not be hacked.

The official Twitter accounts of Indian National Congress and party vice president Rahul Gandhi were hacked and some messages laden with expletives and profanities posted on it, the party said.

The Congress has, meanwhile, filed a complaint with the Cyber cell of Delhi Police on the hacking of Gandhi's Twitter account.