Ex-RSS ideologue writes to Shashi Tharoor to fast-track data bill

New Delhi: Former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue KN Govindacharya has called for fast tracking of the Personal Data Protection Bill to make internet technology companies such as WhatsApp accountable to Indian users and pay more taxes.

Govindacharya, who recently filed a criminal writ petition in the Supreme Court after the WhatsApp-NSO alleged snooping scandal came to light, has argued that the cyber attack caused a violation of citizen’s privacy and was a risk to national security, in a letter to Shashi Tharoor, the chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology. The panel is expected to take up the WhatsApp hacking matter on Wednesday. “WhatsApp was directed to give the reply within four days and no update has been given by the government. It should not be buried as was done in Google Mapping and Cambridge Analytica matters. The proposed data protection law is said to be diluted, day by day,” Govindacharya wrote. ET has seen a copy of the letter.