Citing threat to national security, the Centre on the recommendation of the MHA banned Chinese apps. The bans were triggered by the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in Galwan valley 2 years ago. According to the government, these apps collect and funnel data to servers in mainland China thereby compromising the digital sovereignty and integrity (whatever that means) of India. This from a country which uses Pegasus (Israeli military grade spyware) to snoop on its own people as also Arogya Setu, the parentage of which the government denies in court. Illegal wiretapping and surveillance of opposition party functionaries and people not subscribing to the saffron ideology is par for the course for intelligence agencies here. Banning foreign apps which supposedly collect data and then going to town with jingoistic cries of 'digital surgical strike' is nothing but distraction tactics honed to perfection to divert attention from real world issues like unemployment, inflation, loss of jobs, rising prices, redundancy in the manufacturing and services sector, etc. It is as if China will come to us on bended knees seeking forgiveness and pleading restoration of their apps. The Chinese have already built two villages in our territory and are keeping the whole Eastern Ladakh to the North East border on the boil; probing, feinting and then grabbing our lands at opportune moments. The ruling dispensation is least bothered about this state of affairs and is busy patting each other on the back for supposed swift and strong action taken against the Chinese incursions by banning apps. Netas need to stop hoodwinking people and show some true blue bravery for once.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
