BJP, Cong trade charges

NEW DELHI: A possible role played by data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica in Indian elections triggered a bitter war of words between the ruling BJP and Congress after reports that the Ukbased consulting firm may have also worked with a political party in India.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cited media reports to lash out at the Congress for relying on the Uk-based consulting firm, which he described as “rogue data analysis firm”, for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress was quick with its rebuttal, accusing the minister of dishing out a blatant lie to divert the country’s attention. If the firm was as shady as the government says it is, then why did the BJP engage the firm in the 2010 election, the Congress asked.

The BJP leader also asked the Congress to clarify whether now-sacked CA CEO Alexander Nix had met several opposition leaders to design the UPA’S electoral strategy for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“How many times did Rahul Gandhi and Nix meet and what did they discuss? What is the CA’S role in Rahul Gandhi’s social media presence,” Prasad demanded.

Countering the BJP minister’s salvos, Surjewala said: “Indian National Congress or the Congress President has never used or never hired the services of a company called Cambridge Analytica. It is a fake agenda and white lie being dished out by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.”

Prasad also alleged that the Congress party committed data theft and manipulated data to win elections, a charge the Congress refuted as “fake news”.

“BJP’S factory of fake news has produced one more fake product today. It appears fake statements, fake press conferences and fake agendas have become an everyday character of BJP and its ‘Lawless’ Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad,” Surjewala said.