Not only Indians, UAE-Pakistan nationals also receiving 'Viksit Bharat' WhatsApp Messages from PM Modi, raise privacy concerns

Several Indians have received a WhatsApp message by ‘Viksit Bharat Sampark’ seeking feedback and suggestions from citizens related to government schemes and policies. However, several non-Indians from Pakistan, UAE, and Britain also claimed to receive PM Modi's letter on WhatsApp. This has triggered concern regarding how the government obtained contact numbers of foreign nationals.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took to X (previously Twitter) to share screenshots of the LinkedIn post made by one Anthony J Permal ACIM and comments below his post.

Tharoor, sharing the post and comments, wrote on X, "Will the @ECISVEEP ⁩ take note of such a blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party?"

Anthony, a UAE_based consultant, shared a screenshot Viksit Bharat Sampark Whatsapp message and wrote, "Yesterday multiple nationalities in the UAE received a 'personal' WhatsApp message from Indian PM Modi, addressed to Indians abroad, in what can only be described as a blatant violation of privacy laws and etiquette."

"It was received by thousands of non Indians on their private mobile numbers," Anthony added.

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Will the ⁦@ECISVEEP⁩ take note of such a blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party? pic.twitter.com/wrV6iWwfsJ

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 18, 2024 >

"How did the BJP and the Indian government get ahold of our numbers? And how can it just blatantly spam non Indians in the thousands? So much for an ethical government," he asked.

Several non-Indians in comments below Anthony's post also claimed receiving the same Viksit Bharat message.

A Pakistani national based in the US, Uzair Younus, has also shared similar experience.

"Pakistani friends seem to be receiving @narendramodi’s Viksit Bharat Sampark WhatsApp message, both in Pakistan and in UAE. Modi Ji seems more eager to poll Pakistanis for their opinions that Pakistani ruling elites themselves!" Younus wrote on X.

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Pakistani friends seem to be receiving @narendramodi’s Viksit Bharat Sampark WhatsApp message, both in and in.

Modi Ji seems more eager to poll Pakistanis for their opinions that Pakistani ruling elites themselves!

— Uzair Younus عُزیر یُونس (@UzairYounus) March 17, 2024

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Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib of Punjab, Manish Tewari has claimed to have got a "Viksit Bharat Sampark" Whatsapp message and also lodged a complaint with Election Commission of India terming it a blatant violation of Model Code of Conduct and Right to Privacy.

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.@ECISVEEP - This unsolicited WhatsApp message came at 12.09 AM today . It seems to be from @GoI_MeitY .
Is this not a blatant violation of the both Model Code of Conduct & Right to Privacy.

Where did @GoI_MeitY get my mobile number from ? Which database are they unauthorisedly… pic.twitter.com/MDvOhHrYcb

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) March 18, 2024 >

Tewari wrote on his "X" account : @ECISVEEP- This unsolicited WhatsApp message came at 12.09 AM today. It seems to be from @GoI_MeitY. Is this not a blatant violation of the both Model Code of Conduct and Right to Privacy. Where did @GoI_MeitY get my mobile number from? Which database are they unauthorisedly accessing?"