‘Hello! Mr Modi’: Rahul Gandhi, in US, says 'presume my iPhone is being tapped'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is in the US for a 10-day tour, said that he knew his phone was being tapped and wasn't worried about it. He jokingly said, "Hello! Mr Modi" on his iPhone.

Gandhi, while interacting with the audience in the US, said data is the new gold and countries like India have realized the real potential of it. There is need to have appropriate regulations on data safety and security, he said.  

However, on the issue of Pegasus spyware and similar snooping technologies, said he was not worried about it. At one point, he said he knew his phone was being tapped and jokingly said, "Hello! Mr Modi" on his iPhone.

"I presume my iPhone is being tapped. You need established rules with regard to the privacy of data information as a nation and also as an individual," he said, according to a PTI report.

"If a nation-state decides that they want to tap your phone, no one can stop you. This is my sense," he said.

"If the nation is interested in tapping the phone, then this is not a battle worth fighting. I think whatever I do and work, is available to the government," he claimed.

The Congress leader, during his US trip, also said that he never imagined that his disqualification as a Member of Parliament would ever be possible. He added he is the first person to get the maximum sentence for defamation.

Gandhi said: “I don’t think when I joined politics in 2004, I ever imagined what I see going on now in the country. I may be the first person to get a maximum sentence for defamation. I never imagined something like this is possible”.

He added that his disqualification as an MP provided him with a “bigger opportunity” compared to sitting in Parliament. Gandhi stated the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has captured all institutions in India and that the Opposition is struggling.    

(With PTI inputs)

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