Cambridge Analytica row: Who used stolen data for polls - Congress or BJP?

The BJP and the Congress on Wednesday accused each other of using the services of embattled data consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica (CA) that along with Facebook is at the centre of a global row over the alleged unauthorized use of personal data from the social media giant. As the firestorm over the issue hit India, the government warned Facebook, which is being probed by US and British lawmakers over a potential breach of user confidentiality, of stringent action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through "undesirable means". However, the company's India partner Oveleno Business Intelligence (OBI) lists the BJP, the Congress and the JD-U as its clients. The India partner is by Amrish Tyagi, son of senior JD-U leader K. C. Tyagi. In media interviews, the junior Tyagi admitted that the Youth Congress in Jharkhand, the BJP and the JD-U had used its services to conduct research. BJP leader and Union Law and IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cited media reports to allege that the Congress was using the services of the London-based political data analytics firm for the next Lok Sabha election and boost its president Rahul Gandhi's social media profile and its outreach. "The Congress must explain if it has engaged in data trade with Cambridge Analytica," the minister said. He said the number of Gandhi's followers on Twitter had risen recently and wondered if the Congress had used the services of the Cambridge Analytica for this "fake popularity". "Will the Congress now depend on data manipulation and theft to woo voters," Prasad asked. "These days, there is a lot of news about CA and how it has been involved in data theft, psychometric analysis, data manipulation and subversion of democratic processes. Can the Congress deny that?" he asked. The Congress returned the fire and accused the BJP of having availed the firm's services in 2010. "The Congress or its President have never used or hired the services of Cambridge Analytica," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. "This is fake agenda, a white lie being dished out on fake facts by the Law Minister. And this has become a daily order with Prasad." Surjewala alleged it was the BJP and its ally Janata Dal-United which used the services of Cambridge Analytica. "I think the BJP and Ravi Shankar Prasadji have the maximum experience of Cambridge Analytica, the company they say has indulged in manipulation." ALSO READ: BJP questions Congress' links with Cambridge Analytica for 2019 LS polls 1. Ravi Shankar Prasad spreading fake agenda, lies: Congress "The Congress or its President have never used or hired the services of Cambridge Analytica," said Congress communications incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala, hours after Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the party of compromising national security by roping in the firm to run its 2019 election campaign. "This is fake agenda, a white lie being dished out on fake facts by the Law Minister. And this has become a daily order with Prasad," he added. Surjewala alleged it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Janata Dal-United which used the services of Cambridge Analytica in 2010. "I think the BJP and Ravi Shankar Prasadji have the maximum experience of Cambridge Analytica, the company they say has indulged in manipulation," he said, citing from the firm's website that it "was contracted to undertake an indepth electoral analysis for Bihar assembly elections in 2010". "If the company does manipulation, why were the BJP and the JD-U using it. But in his pack of lies, he forgot to tell the truth," the Congress leader said. 1. BJP questions Congress' links with Cambridge Analytica for 2019 LS polls Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad cited media reports about the opposition party's plan to use the firm's services for the next Lok Sabha elections and to boost its president Rahul Gandhi's profile. He asked Gandhi to explain the company's role in his social media outreach. The firm, the Union minister said, has been accused of using "sex, sleaze and fake news" to influence elections and asked if the Congress too plans to walk the same path. "The Congress must explain if it has engaged in data trade with Cambridge Analytica," he said, questioning the opposition party's "silence" despite numerous reports of its link with the company. 2. Ravi Shankar Prasad warns Mark Zuckerberg It is not a question of liaison between the Congress and a data firm but about attempts to influence democratic processes which his government would not allow, he said and warned Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg against any abuse of data of Indians on its platform. "Mr Mark Zuckerberg you better note the observation of the IT Minister of India. We welcome the FB profile in India, but if any data theft of Indians is done through the collusion of FB system, it shall not be tolerated.

We have got stringent power in the IT Act, we shall use it, including summoning you in India," Prasad warned. 3. Congress slams Ravi Shankar's claims Congress has no relationship with Cambridge Analytica. If the IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Modi govt had to do a presser against Congress president Rahul Gandhi's rising popularity on ground and on social media, it only means that the BJP is in the last stage of desperation and needs help!: Gaurav Pandhi tweeted.

Here are screenshots of LinkedIn page of Director of Cambridge Analytica's Indian arm, saying "managed 4 elections successfully for BJP", "helped achieve mission 272." @BJP4India: response please? pic.twitter.com/NaxNJJdzzb

— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) March 21, 2018

LIVE: AICC Press Conference on BJP’s mischievous allegations https://t.co/0RtFY5TPaZ

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 21, 2018