The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meetings often discuss sensitive topics that are important for the functioning of the party and also to chart its future course of action. In this scenario any information leaked from the CWC meet to the BJP or the media can pose a serious problem for the Grand Old Party. The recent episode of snooping allegations by the government via Whatsapp has only furthered concerns regarding privacy.
In an apparent bid to curb the leaks, Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi has now banned all mobile phones from the CWC meetings. The phones of all the CWC Committee members – Motilal Vohra, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjuna Kharge, AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi herself have been kept outside the meeting venue. The phones are handed over to a Congress volunteer against a receipt.
Last week, Facebook, the parent company of WhatsApp, alleged that Israeli cybersecurity company NSO used WhatsApp servers to spread spyware Pegasus "When WhatsApp sent messages to all those whose phones were hacked, one such message was also received by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra," said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala here in a press conference on being asked about NCP leader Praful Patel and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee receiving messages from the Facebook-owned messaging platform.
Surjewala, however, did not mention when exactly Priyanka received the message.
Amid the raging controversy, the government has asked WhatsApp to come out with an explanation on the breach of privacy and list out measures that have been taken to safeguard the privacy of millions of Indians.
---With inputs from ANI
