Allegations of state-sponsored attacks targeting the phones of opposition leaders have stirred a political controversy in the country. The issue arose after Apple sent warnings to several opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, indicating potential threats from "state-sponsored attackers". These alerts have prompted a heated exchange of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition figures.


Gaurav Bhatia, a BJP leader, suggested that the script behind Rahul Gandhi's comments might not be his own, stating, "Rahul Gandhi was speaking today, but the script was of George Soros (billionaire investor). Now Rahul Gandhi should self-interospect as Apple has clarified that such alerts have been deployed in 150 countries. Secondly, it is said that such threat signals are usually found baseless, and also that such alerts are mostly false alarms."



"It should be asked why Rahul Gandhi and others don't follow the legal process, don't file a Police complaint or write to Apple company but do politics. We too have spoken to cyber experts -  there are a few countries that have enmity against India and are experts in spying of this kind. Malware, phishing, and spyware come on your phone when an individual accesses such (malicious) websites and watches wrong content," the BJP leader said.


"Rahul Gandhi, I would like to request you to make good use of your mobile phone. Don't forge an alliance with any such anti-national force or don't access any such website which is inappropriate for any Indian," he remarked, as per news agency ANI.



Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference where he presented a copy of the warning emails received by several opposition leaders from Apple. He alleged that as soon as certain contentious issues, like the Adani matter, are raised, the government resorts to deploying intelligence agencies and snooping. Gandhi also stated that the opposition would not be deterred by phone tapping and vowed not to back down.


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The controversy escalated as several opposition leaders shared the messages they received from Apple on their social media handles. The message, marked "ALERT," stated that state-sponsored attackers may be targeting their iPhones, and warned that such attackers might gain access to sensitive data, communications, and device functions.


In response to the allegations, the Indian government has ordered an investigation into the matter. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted that the government takes the privacy and security of its citizens seriously and will conduct an inquiry. He called for Apple's cooperation in providing accurate information about the alleged state-sponsored attacks.



In a briefing in Bhopal, Vaishnaw accused the opposition of indulging in "distraction politics" and emphasised that Apple had issued similar advisories in 150 countries, PTI reported. The investigation will be carried out by Cert-In, India's computer emergency response team.


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