Phone tapping threatens democracy, says TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh

Lokesh Nara reiterated that the party has previously raised concerns about phone tapping. "We've raised concerns in the past, and we're taking this matter very seriously."

Amravati: Lokesh Nara, National General Secretary of Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) reacted strongly to the phone tapping security alert by Apple and called the incident a grave danger to democracy.

Speaking to ANI, the General Secretary said that the latest incident was the second attempt to tap his phone. “I was alerted by Apple that this was the second attempt to tap my phone by agencies. So there is clear evidence that the state agency is trying to tap our phones and this is not new.”

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Lokesh Nara further said that in the past, the party has also tried to raise flags regarding phone tapping. “In the past also, we have raised flags and this is something we are going to take up very seriously.”

Taking up the matter seriously, the General Secretary has already filed a complaint to the Election Commission (EC) and security agencies. “I have already complained to the EC, both the State and Central EC. We have also filed complaints to regulatory bodies and also to other security agencies.”

On the alleged phone tapping incident, Nara said that the latest incident poses a grave threat to democracy, and the TDP will make sure to fight it all the way. “If this is the way things are going to be, then it is a grave danger to democracy because we are fighting on behalf of people. This government is filing false cases and trying to hack our phones… TDP will fight this all the way…”

On Friday, the TDP’s General Secretary had also challenged the current government and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for an open debate to compare the welfare work done under their respective regimes.

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13, with the counting of votes set for June 4. The Andhra Pradesh Assembly consists of 175 seats, and a party would need at least 88 seats to form a government.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won with a majority of 102 seats. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won 67 seats. The BJP could only win four seats by contesting against the two regional heavyweights.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats.