Cong, Rahul's Twitter hack: IT Ministry orders probe

New Delhi: Ministry of Information Technology on Thursday asked Twitter to submit details of activities on Rahul Gandhi's Twitter account from the last six days, after the official social media handle of the Congress vice-president was hacked.

The official Twitter accounts of Indian National Congress and party Vice president Rahul Gandhi were hacked on Thursday and some messages laden with expletives and profanities posted on it, the party said.

Responding to the hacking of the accounts, Rahul on Thursday said, "It's a huge question mark on the digital security".

The @INCIndia handle was compromised after 10 am on Thursday, it seemed, posting abusive tweets and bizarre advice. The account was restored within an hour and all the tweets posted by hackers were deleted.

Rahul Gandhi's Twitter account was hacked last night too and some obscene remarks were put out online for around an hour.

The Delhi Police has also initiated a probe into the hacking of Rahul Gandhi's Twitter account and has written to the management of the social media site seeking necessary details.

"We have written to Twitter to provide us log details such as the IP address of the hackers. We have started investigating the matter," a senior police official said. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing of the Police around 1 am, an official said.

The Congress has, meanwhile, filed a complaint with the Cyber cell of Delhi Police on the hacking of its Vice President's twitter account.

The complaint was filed by party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, demanding strict action against those behind the hacking.

After the hacking, Congress raised questions on the digital safety of all Indians and said it reflects disturbing insecurities of the prevalent "fascist culture" in the country.

Gandhi's account was hacked around 8.45 pm and some messages with profanities were put out, but these were deleted soon thereafter.

"Such lowly tactics will neither drown the sane voice of reason nor deter Rahul Gandhi from raising people's issues," Surjewala had said.

"Such unscrupulous, unethical and roguish conduct of venal trolls to hack Rahul Gandhi's Twitter handle reflects disturbing insecurities of prevalent fascist culture," he said.

Surjewala also tweeted, "Pre-meditated hacking of @OfficeOfRG smacks of a sinister conspiracy to abuse and intimidate. It strengthens our resolve to fight for the Nation."

"Hacking of@OfficeofRG proves lack of Digital safety around each one of us. Every digital info can be accessed, altered, morphed & modified," the Congress leader said in another tweet.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel also tweeted, "The way @OfficeOfRG a/c got hacked, as cybercrime and Twitter watched helpless raises serious Q's on digital safety, Digital India future."

"Those forcing country to adopt online payment overnight, have they taken steps to ensure a/c of ordinary ppl will be immune from hacking?," he also said.