Asaduddin Owaisi tweets, "Modi has used a simple G.O to permit our national agencies to snoop on our communications

The Centre on Friday authorised select security and intelligence agencies for purposes of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource.

The agencies empowered by the government in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, include the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). National Investigation Agency (NIA), Cabinet Secretariat (RAW) and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000) read with rule 4 of the Information Technology ( Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009, the Competent Authority hereby authorises Security and Intelligence Agencies for the purposes



of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource under the said Act,” read the notice issued by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba.

Furthermore, the Directorate of Signal Intelligence has been given authority for service areas of Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Assam.

Reacting on the notice, the opposition came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for putting all computers under surveillance and demanded the withdrawal of the order saying it was a brazen assault on the citizens fundamental right to privacy and an attempt to create an Orwellian state.

Mr. Assaduddin Owaisi, MIM Chief tweeted, “Modi has used a simple Government Order to permit our national agencies to snoop on our communications. Who knew that this is what they meant when they said ‘ghar ghar Modi’. George Orwell’s Big Brother is here & welcome to 1984”.