Govt indulging in distraction politics on Adani issue: Rahul

NEW DELHI: Hitting out at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that people in his office, several party and other Opposition leaders have been sent a warning by Apple of state-sponsored attackers targeting their phone, and alleged that as soon as the Adani issue is touched, probe agencies and snooping are deployed.

The Congress leader also alleged that the government was indulging in “distraction politics” on the Adani issue.

While addressing a press conference, Gandhi showed a copy of the warning e-mail received by several Opposition leaders from Apple phone manufacturer about “state-sponsored attackers trying to compromise” their phone.

Gandhi further said that party leaders such as KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, Supriya Shrinate and several other opposition leaders have got the Apple warning.

“We are not scared. You can do as much (phone) tapping as you want, I don’t care. If you want to take my phone, I will give it to you..,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not at number one in the hierarchy as Adani is at the top slot followed by the PM and Amit Shah is at the third position.

Narrating an old tale to assert his point, Gandhi said that there used to be a king in India against whom people stood up and the Opposition was attacking him but he was like teflon and nothing used to affect him.

“After a few years, opposition people went to a rishi and said that ‘we keep attacking the king, people are against him but nothing happens. Rishi said that the king’s soul is not with him, there is a parrot in a small cottage and his soul is in that parrot,” Gandhi said.

“Narendra Modi’s soul is with Adani. Truth is power is in the hands of someone else. As soon as Adani is touched, intelligence agencies snooping are deployed,” he said, adding, “Adani cannot escape, we have surrounded him. Distraction politics is taking place.”

Some opposition leaders on Tuesday claimed to have received messages from Apple warning them of “state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise” their iPhones and posted the purported screenshots on their X handles.