The BJP and Congress are at loggerheads over a Facebook data scandal involving private firm Cambridge Analytica. The trading of charges between the two parties came following the Facebook's admission last week that Cambridge Analytica used data that had been collected from 50 million users without their consent, an act of breach of privacy.
In an exclusive interview with India TV, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Congress is levelling charges on BJP out of frustration.
Prasad also questioned why the Congress was silent for five months on data theft charges.
Prasad alleged that the party had even taken the services of disgraced firm during Gujarat Assembly polls.
"Footprints of Congress-Cambridge Analytica were visible in Gujarat Assembly elections," he said.
"Rahul Gandhi signed the deal with CA to win the 2019 general elections," he said.
The minister reiterated that any firm indulging in wrongdoings will not be spared.
Yesterday, Prasad had cited several media reports which said the company would work for Congress president Rahul Gandhi ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, and asked how many times Rahul had met Cambridge's now sacked CEO Alexander Nix.
Prasad alleged that the firm had been accused of using "sex, sleaze and fake news" to influence elections and asked if the Congress too planned to walk the same path. He asked Rahul to explain the company's role in his social media outreach.
The Congress party, however, rejected the allegations categorically and said that neither his party nor its president has used and hired the services of Cambridge Analytica.
Watch video: Ravi Shankar Prasad speaks to India TV
