Irani attacks Rahul Gandhi on data privacy issue, to soon make announcement on digital news policy

Amid the raging controversy over data privacy, Union Minister Smriti Irani today launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, alleging that he had increased his popularity by using bots from Uzbekistan and Russia while his party was using technology to divide the country on caste lines.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, who spoke at length on the debate around data theft, users' privacy and the controversy surrounding Cambridge Analytica, said it was time India had a policy for digital broadcasting and news, and that she would make some announcement in this regard very soon.

Replying to queries on Rahul Gandhi, Irani claimed that his own constituents don't want to give him a chance, and for the first time in the past three years all the local body elections and assembly seats have been lost by the Congress in his constituency.

That means that the people, he has been so called serving for over a decade, know that this is a gentlemen who does not deliver on promises of governance, on promises of progress, on promises of prosperity.

So when his own people have certified that he is not acceptable to us as a leader, how do you presume that I have a chip on my shoulder, Irani said at the India Economic Conclave here.

In another jibe at Gandhi, she called herself a self-made woman and said her identity is not defined by who her father is.

Amethi had witnessed a high-pitched electoral battle between Gandhi and Irani in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections which the latter had lost.

Asked if she will take on Gandhi again in 2019 in Amethi, Irani shot back saying that when one loses the local body and assembly elections, "the electorate is telling you not to come back".

Asked about the Congress chief gaining more traction in social media, Irani said, "Well for a gentleman who has increased his popularity on the basis of bots, that too from Uzbekistan and Russia, I am sure he will do well when he goes to those countries. So far as his own Lok Sabha constituency, one must understand that you want to give him a chance but his own constituents do not".

Bots are fake automated accounts that use artificial intelligence to influence discussions and promote specific ideas or products.

On whether she will challenge Gandhi to a debate, Irani said: Well for a guy who has somebody else to handle his Twitter handle, will he debate me?... I need to throw out a challenge to an equal."