New Delhi: The Congress demanded a probe into the possible use of an Israeli firm’s services to interfere in Indian elections and spread disinformation. A recent report by a collaboration of international publications aided by Paris-based Forbidden Stories, published in The Guardian, said that elections around the world have been linked with an Israeli software to operate fake social media campaigns across several countries, including India.
However, details of what the investigation has found on Indian have not yet been revealed.
Congress spokespersons Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate held a press conference where they compared ‘Team Jorge’, which the Israeli team of contractors allegedly running this operation, with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT Cell.
Team Jorge allegedly sold hacking services and access to a vast army of fake social media profiles to influence opinion on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Telegram, Gmail, Instagram and YouTube.
“We have seen a pattern in India. We want the government to break its silence and say what has been its contribution in saving democracy in the country,” Shrinate said, according to The New Indian Express. “This impacts India’s electoral process directly and there should be a probe.”
Shrinate is also the head of the Congress’s social media team. “If the government is not doing anything on this, it means it is seeking help to interfere in the country’s democracy and elections. The data of Indians is being compromised by handing it over to a foreign firm,” she continued.
“We would like to ask if the government intends to carry out an investigation in this matter. Will there be a Supreme Court monitored probe?” Shrinate said, according to India Today.
Khera alleged that India’s democracy is being “hijacked” by the country’s ruling party.
“An Israeli agency’s help is being taken to influence the country’s democracy. Sitting in India, they are conspiring against India’s democracy along with other countries,” he said. Khera added that this was not the first time the Narendra Modi government had been accused of using foreign companies or technology to undermine democracy, such as with the Pegasus allegations or during the Cambridge Analytica revelations.
“Is there a link between Post Card News and Team Jorge – a team of Israeli contractors who claim to have manipulated more than 30 elections around the world using hacking, sabotage and automated disinformation on social media?” he asked.
“The pattern of disinformation and fake news campaigns being adopted by the Israelis is mirrored by the ruling BJP very distinctly,” he continued.
The Congress leaders also brought up specific instances of politically relevant disinformation being spread in India. “Is it not a fact that the BJP used fake news to repeatedly target the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the last four-five months and was always caught?
Will the Modi government investigate the latest scandal that has hit the Indian political spectrum, involving yet again foreign contractors indulging in sophisticated hacking, sabotage and automated disinformation on social media?” Khera asked.
‘Team Jorge’, according to the investigation, is led by former Israeli special forces operative Tal Hanan. It was uncovered by three reporters – Gur Megiddo of TheMarker, Frederic Metezeau of Radio France and Omer Benjakob of Haaretz – who went undercover for six months. They posed as businessmen wanting to play role in an upcoming election in an African country.
