'Snooping' power to agencies biggest attack on privacy:Singhvi

Slamming the BJP-led central government for ordering interception of information stored in computers, the Congress Saturday accused the government of misleading the country.

"The Narendra Modi government is known for 3 Ss - snooping, scanning and surveillance -- and utter disregard for privacy. The latest move of authorising 10 agencies to intercept computers shows it is suffering from 'big brother' syndrome," senior AICC spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here.

Singhvi also slammed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for claiming that rules for agencies to be authorised for intercepting information were framed in 2009 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power.

Since independence, the country has never witnessed such a blatant bid to infiltrate into people's privacy, Singhvi said adding Congress will oppose the move tooth and nail to prevent the BJP government from converting the country into a surveillance.

"It is the ultimate assault on fundamental rights and the right to privacy," he said.

Earlier, the central agencies could make a request to the government for prior permission and authorisation on case to case basis when the question of national security and serious crimes were involved, the Rajya Sabha member said.

In sharp contrast, the Centre has now authorised 10 agencies to intercept information on any computer, any time, directly without seeking prior permission from the government, Singhvi said, accusing Jaitley of trying to "spin and twist" facts in order to mislead the country.

The Congress leader said the BJP-led government must remember that the Supreme Court has upheld the sanctity of privacy in its order over a petition that challenged the constitutional validity of the identity scheme Aadhaar.

The apex court's judgement was a solid endorsement of the right to privacy as a fundamental right, he said adding, several provisions pertaining to Aadhar were struck down by the supreme court giving primacy to privacy.

Terming the Centre's move as an assault on the right to privacy, Singhvi said the BJP-led government has all along been making attempts to scan and conrol the lives of people and the latest "snooping" order is a blatant move to put people under constant surveillance.

The government should remember that the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution.

Singhvi further alleged that the Centre's move is a reflection of BJP's fear of defeat in the approaching elections.

"An insecure government wants to control the people by unleashing fear as it can see the writings on the wall .. BJP is afraid of defeat in upcoming polls," he said.

The snooping move is nothing but a direct fallout of BJP's defeat in Assembly elections held recently in five states, the Congress leader said.