New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology is poised to address the contentious 'Apple warning' issue in its upcoming meeting.
A political dispute has erupted over this matter, with opposition members advocating for a thorough investigation, while the government has expressed its intent to delve into the matter.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, a committee member, confirmed that he will bring up the matter during the panel's next meeting.
Sources indicate that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT is considering summoning Apple representatives to discuss the alerts sent to certain opposition members, which suggested they were "under threat from state-sponsored attackers."
According to sources, the committee's secretariat is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by Shiv Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav, comprises 31 members, though a meeting date has yet to be decided.
Several opposition leaders received alerts from the U.S. tech giant Apple, warning them of "remote compromise attempts" on their devices. Recipients of these alerts included KC Venugopal, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera, Sitaram Yechury, Akhilesh Yadav, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and individuals within Rahul Gandhi's office.
In response, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of attempting to divert public attention. Apple later clarified that the threat notifications were not attributed to any specific state-sponsored attacker and could be false alarms.
The tech giant explained that the notifications were based on incomplete or imperfect information and that revealing the causes behind them could help state-sponsored attackers evade detection in the future.
The government has requested Apple's cooperation in their investigations. In a series of posts on social media, the Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology expressed concern over the notifications and emphasized the government's commitment to protecting citizens' privacy and security.
KC Venugopal criticized the government's response and called for transparency in the matter, suggesting that the government may have something to hide. He questioned the logic of the government calling on Apple to join the investigation.
Sitaram Yechury also raised concerns over the Apple alerts, labeling any such attack as a violation of citizens' fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of India. He emphasized the incompatibility of a surveillance state with democracy.
Odisha Government Announces 4% Dearness Allowance Hike Ahead of Festive Season
Govt Mandates Registration for Laptop, Computer Imports Starting November 1, 2023
