Congress wants probe into data manipulation by Cambridge Analytica, BJP says Congress has link

As it exposed in a sting operation that UK-based organization Cambridge Analytica committed illegal practices to win elections and the services of the organization  also was provided in India, Congress senior leader Manish Tiwari asked the Election Commission to probe the matter. On the other hand, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Congress has links with the Cambridge Analytica.

The organization allegedly harvested data from Facebook and manipulated voters through it. Apart from that, the organization also resorted to illegal practices to manipulate elections.

Sharing the report that revealed about the practices of the organization, Tewari said that the Election Commission should investigate that which party took services from the organization.

“In this report on Cambridge Analytica there is an ostensible claim by them or the jurno’s that they have worked on Indian elections/campaigns. Election Commission should enquire/recommend investigation what services & to whom they were offering in India,” Tewari tweeted.

Commenting on the same issue, Union Minister Ravi Shankar said “What link does Cambridge Analytica have with social media management of Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party? Asks @rsprasad”.

Reacting on Prasad’s allegation, the Congress party’s social media head Divya Spandana rejected Prasad’s allegation. She said this charge is absolutely false.

“News about Congress engaged/engaging with Cambridge Analytica is absolutely false,’ she tweeted.

She further said that these allegations are being made by Prasad to divert the attention from the killing of Indians in Iraq. “Can you @rsprasad please tell us why your Govt lied to us about the 39 Indians who died in Iraq? You hid the information and now you’re trying to divert attention from the issue by making outrageous allegations against the Congress party”.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said "BJP's factory of fake news has produced one more fake product today. It appears fake statements, fake press conferences & fake agendas have become everyday character of BJP and its 'Lawless' Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad".