The Congress party has expressed concerns regarding the newly introduced Income Tax Bill of 2025, claiming it grants tax authorities extensive powers to access taxpayers’ emails, social media accounts, and bank details. This, they argue, raises significant privacy issues and could lead India towards becoming a surveillance state. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate cautioned that this provision, which permits officials to bypass passwords and security measures during investigations, poses a threat to personal freedoms and digital privacy.
“They monitored us with Pegasus. Now, they aim to intrude into our private lives entirely. Under the new income tax legislation, the government is stealthily bestowing tax officials with the authority to invade your digital existence. No warrants, no notifications — mere suspicion is sufficient to strip you of your privacy. This is a form of surveillance, and it demands our unequivocal opposition,” the Congress tweeted from its official account.
Shrinate shared a warning on X, stating, “Caution: Your email, social media, bank, and trading accounts are under threat.”
“The revised income tax legislation grants tax officials unfettered access to your emails: allowing them to read your private conversations; your social media: enabling them to monitor your posts, messages, and interactions; your bank accounts: giving them the ability to track every rupee you earn and spend; and your trading accounts: allowing them to oversee your investments and financial transactions.
“They require NO evidence to do this — just mere suspicion. A government wielding unchecked power. The government that has previously misused agencies to silence dissent and crush opposition will now engage in harassment and intimidation of citizens, settle political scores by targeting adversaries, and weaponize the tax department to destroy reputations and lives. This is nothing short of surveillance. Will you remain silent or turn a blind eye?” she urged.
The Congress leader emphasized that this serves as a warning for all, as the government is poised to gain access to citizens’ emails, social media profiles, bank accounts, financial dealings, and trading accounts, based on the provisions of the new income tax law which mandates that tax officials be granted this access.
She explained that tax officials will be able to read private messages, access bank accounts, and ascertain income levels and expenditure patterns. They will also be able to monitor trading accounts to understand individuals’ investments.
“This is merely the government attempting to infiltrate our lives covertly. This represents a government effort to seize control through underhanded methods. This is tantamount to establishing a surveillance state in India, and I absolutely oppose it.
“We have already observed how this particular government, driven by vendetta politics, weaponizes the agencies and income tax department not only against their political foes but also to suppress activists, students, and anyone who holds an opposing viewpoint,” Shrinate remarked in a video message accompanying her social media post.
She made it clear that she cannot accept tax officials having access to emails, social media, and bank accounts, as this will lead to unwarranted harassment and intimidation.
“This will facilitate the weaponization of agencies and result in the tarnishing of reputations and lives, which I fundamentally oppose. This sets the stage for a surveillance state, and if you value your privacy, you must raise your voice. Tax officials will engage in this not based on evidence but merely on unfounded suspicion,” the Congress leader asserted.
