Former Congress President and MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday questioned the Modi government over Aarogya Setu app that is used to track coronavirus cases.

“The Arogya Setu app, is a sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a pvt operator, with no institutional oversight – raising serious data security & privacy concerns. Technology can help keep us safe; but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

The Arogya Setu app, is a sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a pvt operator, with no institutional oversight – raising serious data security & privacy concerns. Technology can help keep us safe; but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent.

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— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 2, 2020

In response, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted: “Daily a new lie. Aarogya Setu is a powerful companion which protects people. It has a robust data security architecture. Those who indulged in surveillance all their lives, won’t know how tech can be leveraged for good!

Daily a new lie.

Aarogya Setu is a powerful companion which protects people. It has a robust data security architecture.
Those who indulged in surveillance all their lives, won’t know how tech can be leveraged for good! https://t.co/t8ThXmddcS

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) May 2, 2020

Aarogya Setu is now being appreciated globally. The App is NOT outsourced to any private operator. Mr. Gandhi really high time that you stop outsourcing your tweets to your cronies who do not understand India.”

Aarogya Setu is now being appreciated globally. The App is NOT outsourced to any private operator.
Mr. Gandhi really high time that you stop outsourcing your tweets to your cronies who do not understand India.

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) May 2, 2020

Aarogya Setu app was meant for voluntary use when it was launched on April 2 as a “sophisticated surveillance system”. Now it has been made mandatory for all government and private employees. If a private firm employee is found without the app on their phone, the head of the company will be held responsible, the centre has said.

The app is designed to alert users if they have come in close proximity with any COVID-19 positive patient. It tracks through a Bluetooth and location-generated social graph and calculates the user’s risk of infection based on recency and proximity of COVID-19 patient.

“We understand the nature and sensitivity of the topic and have taken strong measures to ensure that your data is not compromised. Your data will be shared only with the Government of India. The app does not allow your name and number to be disclosed to the public at large at any time,” said the app.