On Wednesday, NDTV reported, citing top telecom officials who wished to remain anonymous, that network operators in India were against the federal government’s demand for Call Data Records (CDR) of customers from major circles in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
Some of the circles like the national capital fall under the VVIP zone where call records would provide information about national politicians and leaders.
According to unidentified officials, the government has an ulterior motive under the banner of privacy concerns, the reports said. The authorities have, however, yet to comment on these claims.
Congress leader Manish Tewari who was Minister of Information and Broadcasting under former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, shared the news on his Twitter and called the government’s demand “scandalous”.
This Mass Surveillance by NDA/BJP is scandalous. Assault on Right to Privacy held to be a Fundamental Right. Parliament must discuss this Today. Cellphone operators red-flag ‘surveillance’ after Govt wants call records of all users https://t.co/TzsiOs60G3 via @IndianExpress
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) March 18, 2020
Incidentally, except for Himachal Pradesh, all other states from where call records were being sought have governments led by opposition parties.
Several others have also reacted to the news on social networking platforms accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of wanting to spy on residents of the states where the Bharatiya Janata Party is not in power.
#ModiShah now forcing telco operators to provide call records of all users
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) March 18, 2020
What next Mr. Shah? Will you GoliMaro everyone whose conversations go against you?
This is is illegal & unacceptable. https://t.co/TywqfB8xZJ via @IndianExpress
Bulk sharing of call records is an inevitable outcome of India’s poor legal regime for surveillance. It centralises power in the executive branch without any judicial or legislative oversight. The existing system must change. https://t.co/Q6sdDFnfw6
— Apar (@apar1984) March 18, 2020
Bulk sharing of call records is an inevitable outcome of India’s poor legal regime for surveillance. It centralises power in the executive branch without any judicial or legislative oversight. The existing system must change. https://t.co/Q6sdDFnfw6
— Apar (@apar1984) March 18, 2020
Earlier in February, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) - an umbrella organisation of mobile telecom service providers in India reached out to the federal Telecom Department, about seeking the confidential information of residents of so many states. But the department failed to state any specific reason or purpose for the demand, which is a violation of the country's privacy laws.
