Union I&B and Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Monday attacked Rahul Gandhi using “Chhota Bheem’ a popular cartoon character, jibe after the Congress President’s relentless attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for alleged data theft of millions of users from his personal NaMo mobile App.
Irani, who had lost to Gandhi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, wrote, “.@RahulGandhi ji, even ‘Chhota Bheem’ knows that commonly asked permission on Apps don’t tantamount to snooping.”
.@RahulGandhi ji, even ‘Chhota Bheem’ knows that commonly asked permission on Apps don’t tantamount to snooping.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 26, 2018
Her ‘Chhota Bheem’ jibe for the leader of India’s main opposition party angered many on social media, where an overwhelming number of users felt that Irani’s choice of words was unbecoming of a Union minister.
Self obsessed drama queen cum trolling minister’s perpetual obsession with @RahulGandhi and he continues to ignore her. https://t.co/stye7tcfpp
— Sadhavi Khosla?? (@sadhavi) March 26, 2018
Auntyji, What do you call commonly selling data to third party without consent ? Pakodas ? ?
— Dr Luttapi (@Mayavi101) March 26, 2018
Brainless aunty doesn’t understand the difference between accessing details and selling details to a third party server!..thooo?
— Amaranth (@iAmaranth22) March 26, 2018
Sanghoos are experts in snooping. Yeh dekho, mitrooon. James Bond Modi??? pic.twitter.com/069x0tHb9w
— Oh, snap! ?? (@1batch_2batch) March 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/ponijat56002/status/978165781602082816?s=21
Gandhi has been relentless in his attack against Modi after a French security expert revealed how the PM’s personal mobile app may have compromised millions of users’ personal data. Reacting to Janta Ka Reporter story on Sunday, Gandhi had said, “Hi! My name is Narendra Modi. I am India’s Prime Minister. When you sign up for my official App, I give all your data to my friends in American companies.
Ps. Thanks mainstream media, you’re doing a great job of burying this critical story, as always.”
On Monday, he continued with his attack on the allegations of data theft from the NaMo app, he wrote, “Modi’s NaMo App secretly records audio, video, contacts of your friends & family and even tracks your location via GPS.
He’s the Big Boss who likes to spy on Indians.
Now he wants data on our children. 13 lakh NCC cadets are being forced to download the APP. #DeleteNaMoApp.”
Modi’s NaMo App secretly records audio, video, contacts of your friends & family and even tracks your location via GPS.
He’s the Big Boss who likes to spy on Indians.
Now he wants data on our children. 13 lakh NCC cadets are being forced to download the APP.#DeleteNaMoApp
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 26, 2018
His next tweet raised the issue of PM Modi using a personal mobile app to gather data asking why the latter was not using an official PM app given that data belonged to India.
He wrote, “Modi misusing PM position to build personal database with data on millions of Indians via the NaMo App promoted by Govt. If as PM he wants to use tech to communicate with India, no problem. But use the official PMO APP for it. This data belongs to India, not Modi.”
Modi misusing PM position to build personal database with data on millions of Indians via the NaMo App promoted by Govt.
If as PM he wants to use tech to communicate with India, no problem. But use the official PMO APP for it.
This data belongs to India, not Modi.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 26, 2018
This came amidst revelation that Modi had asked his MPs to gather 3,00,000 ‘genuine’ Facebook likes each.
Irani has often been in the centre of controversy for her questionable educational qualifications and her appointment by PM Modi as a senior minister despite having never won Lok Sabha polls. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha to justify her appointment as a minister.
She currently holds two key portfolios after having run the HRD ministry.