A number of Opposition leaders from INDIA alliance have claimed that receiving alert from Apple of alleged “state sponsored attackers” attempting to hack into their Apple accounts. Those who supposedly received the notification include Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra, Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha, Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera, Congress’ Chairman of Media and Publicity Department, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury and leader of Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav.
The message said, “Apple believes you are being targeted by state-sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID. These attackers are likely targeting you individually because of who you are or what you do. If your device is compromised by a state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive data, communications, or even the camera and microphone. While it’s possible this is a false alarm, please take this warning seriously.”
Mahua Moitra took to X and announced, “So far list of INDIAns that @HMOIndia have tried to hack have been myself, @yadavakhilesh, @raghav_chadha @ShashiTharoor @priyankac19 @SitaramYechury @Pawankhera & others in office of @RahulGandhi.
This is worse than Emergency. India is being run by low life Peeping Toms.”
Speaking on the matter in a press conference today, Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP government of indulging in “distraction politics” on the Adani issue. As soon as the Adani issue is touched, probe agencies and snooping are deployed, Gandhi said.
Speaking to ANI, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury maintained that privacy is the right of every citizen, according to the Constitution and called out the Central Government for clarification on the Apple warning.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad rejected the allegations against the government as “baseless and false” and said it is for Apple to clarify the alerts it has sent. He suggested that the leaders of the Opposition who got the notification should take up the matter with Apple and file FIRs.