New Delhi: Amit Malviya, the chief of the BJP’s IT cell, has responded to P. Chidambaram in the ongoing Apple snooping controversy, stating, “You were the Home Minister when former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s office was bugged. Does this ring a bell, Mr. Chidambaram?” He supported his assertion with a linked news report.
Malviya’s comments came in the wake of Chidambaram’s criticism of the BJP government at the Center. Chidambaram had expressed concerns about alleged state-sponsored hackers targeting the mobile phones of Opposition leaders, alluding to the unresolved Pegasus mystery, which has raised suspicions about government involvement.
Chidambaram, in a post, raised questions about the security alerts sent by Apple to hundreds of Opposition leaders, warning of state-sponsored attempts to compromise their phones. He inquired, “Why only Opposition leaders? Who would be interested in compromising the phones of Opposition leaders? After the Pegasus mystery, which remains unresolved, the finger of suspicion points to a government agency. At the moment, it is only a suspicion.”
Chidambaram’s remarks followed a controversy that erupted when several Opposition MPs and leaders claimed to have received notifications from Apple, stating that there had been efforts to compromise their devices by “state-sponsored attackers.”