Senior YSR Congress party leader and Vijayawada Parliamentary coordinator, Mohammed Iqbal strongly criticised Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu saying that he was directly behind the data breach of voters in Andhra Pradesh. He slammed the TDP government's functioning saying that the ruling party leaders did not spare any of the five elements. Across the state of Andhra Pradesh they have been indulging in indiscriminate sand mining and land grabbing, he asserted.
Iqbal observed that the TDP leaders were under the notion that they would spend crores of rupees to win the elections and loot the state in every possible manner once again, by trying to ‘manage’ the citizens of the state. They seem to have realised that this is not possible anymore. The TDP leadership is unable to tolerate the growing popularity of Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the state, he remarked.
A tsunami of support rose in favour of YS Jagan in Andhra Pradesh and unable to counter it, the TDP was resorting to desperate methods like manipulation of voters’ list and deleting the names of YSRCP supporters. The TDP is unable to stomach the fact that all recent surveys conducted by national agencies pointed to a clear win for the YSRCP.
The senior YSRCP leader pointed out that the Chandrababu government handed over private information of AP citizens to a Hyderabad-based company called IT Grid. This small IT firm was given a massive contract along with private data relating to citizens of AP with the purpose of deleting the names of YSRCP supporters. This has been pointed out by experts, he said.
The senior YSRCP leader observed that the Chandrababu government had entrusted data related to NREGA, sale and purchase of properties, public distribution system schemes and other details to a company called Blue Frog. This firm, in turn, got into a tie-up with the Hyderabad-based IT Grid company. Mohd. Iqbal revealed that the IT Grid company designed an app for the TDP known as Seva Mitra and was methodically deleting the names of voters considered to be sympathisers of the YSRCP. The data relating to citizens, which was private in nature was being stored using Cloud technology, he pointed out.
The senior YSRCP leader pointed out that the data which was leaked to this company amounted to a breach of privacy of individual citizens. It was unconstitutional to hand over information relating to a person‘s address, caste, region, income and welfare scheme benefits. Iqbal said that with this act, Chandrababu Naidu blatantly violated the Constitution in an unprecedented manner.
The whistle-blower in question, Lokeswar Reddy complained to Hyderabad police because the crime took place in the city, the former police officer stated. AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reacted sharply by asking the state police to probe the complainant instead of investigating the matter of data breach, the YSRCP leader pointed out.
Iqbal said that it is clear that the Hyderabad-based IT Grid form has indulged in a massive data scam. It may be recalled that YSRCP Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has already complained to the Election Commission with regard to data breach and deletion of names of voters considered by the TDP to be sympathisers of YSRCP. However, this exercise of deletion of names of voters seen as YSRCP sympathisers continues all over AP, the former police officer said.
The senior YSRCP leader pointed out that based on his party’s complaint, Telangana police have taken up an investigation. They have not seized any records related to IT Grid company, he added. He also stated that in other cases including the murder case of NRI Jayaram and in Note for Vote case, involving Revanth Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu, it was the Hyderabad Police which took up investigation based on the location of the crime and jurisdiction.
Opposition in disarray; Vote for welfare
