Gaurav Bhatia, the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seized the opportunity on Tuesday to take a swipe at the opposition leaders who had raised concerns about potential breaches of their Apple devices, suggesting they might have been "consuming inappropriate content" that could have exposed their devices to malicious software.
In a pointed remark, Bhatia insinuated that the opposition figures might have been susceptible to malware, phishing, and spyware due to their online activities, hinting that visiting certain websites or engaging with unsuitable content could be the source of their troubles. He further emphasized that India has its share of adversaries adept at espionage, potentially insinuating that these shadowy actors might have exploited the situation.
Furthermore, Gaurav Bhatia questioned the wisdom of the opposition leaders in not seeking legal remedies for their concerns. He cited Apple's assertion that such alerts could often be erroneous and implied that the opposition was engaging in political theatrics rather than following established legal channels. In a targeted jab at Rahul Gandhi, Bhatia urged the Congress leader to exercise prudence in using his mobile phone and refrain from affiliating with anti-national entities or visiting inappropriate websites, presumably to safeguard his and the nation's security.
Earlier in the day, leaders from various political parties within the opposition accused the government of engaging in surveillance on them. They presented screenshots of messages received on their Apple devices, cautioning about potential "state-sponsored attackers" targeting their iPhones. Prominent figures among them included Shashi Tharoor, Raghav Chadha, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Asaduddin Owaisi.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi directed his criticism towards the Modi government, asserting that the "Apple warning message" was a diversionary tactic aimed at diverting public attention from pressing national issues.
In response to these allegations, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw contended that those who fail to recognize the country's progress were indulging in disruptive politics. He added that similar advisories had been disseminated to individuals in 150 countries, suggesting that the concerns raised might be exaggerated or unwarranted.
