Dy CM Shinde's 'X' account hacked; Cong leader questions cyber security

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's 'X' handle was found to be hacked on Sunday, with hackers posting images of flags of Pakistan and Turkey, an official said.

The account was later recovered in about 45 minutes, he said.

Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole, however, raised questions over cyber security and demanded that the state home department provide clear answers to safeguard people from such threats.

The hackers live-streamed images with photographs of the two Islamic countries, on a day when India and Pakistan are set to play their second game in the Asia Cup.

"We immediately alerted the cyber crime police. Our team that is in-charge of the Dy CM's X handle later retrieved the account," the official said.

It took 30 to 45 minutes to set the account in order, the official added.

Former Maharashtra Congress president Patole said the incident was shocking and raised questions over the state's cyber security framework.

He said the hacking episode sparked sharp reactions, particularly from the Gen-Z population, who have asked that if the social media accounts of senior ministers cannot remain secure, what guarantee do ordinary citizens have regarding their online safety? It has also put the state's home department under the spotlight, with critics asking who would take responsibility and what concrete mechanisms are in place to ensure protection of citizens' digital data, the Congress MLA said in a post on X.

The government recently announced its 'Golden Data' scheme aimed at creating a centralised database. However, the breach of a minister's account has raised doubts over the robustness of security measures for government websites and sensitive official data, he said.

Patole demanded that the home department provide clear answers to safeguard citizens from cyber threats. PTI PR MR GK