Indian expatriates in the UAE and people of various nationalities including Emiratis, British and Pakistanis were surprised by a WhatsApp message from 'Viksit Bharat Sampark'. The embassy sought public feedback on the Indian government's plans and initiatives and included a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A recent report by Khaleej Times has highlighted that people of various nationalities, including a Dubai-based Pakistani journalist named Asma Zain, Fahad Siddiqui, a Briton living in Dubai, and several other Britons, received the message through the official WhatsApp account Indian IT Ministry on their WhatsApp.
The letter mentioned government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat and Matru Vandana Yojana and sought suggestions on government initiatives. Recipients expressed confusion over her involvement, with a Pakistani journalist in Dubai questioning the need for Mr Modi to seek suggestions from her.
The BJP-led government's outreach efforts have been criticized by opposition parties, with the Kerala Congress unit alleging misuse of public data for election campaigns. They also pointed out a contradiction with WhatsApp's policy, which bans the messaging app's use for political campaigns.
Highlighting the message of the Indian IT Ministry's official account, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “Will @ECISVEEP take note of such blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party?”
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra accused the BJP-led government of using taxpayers' money for campaign messaging after the model code of conduct came into force.
