Over the weekend, Indian expatriates in the UAE, along with individuals from various nationalities including Filipinos, Emiratis, Britons, and Pakistanis, were taken aback to receive a WhatsApp message on their smartphones originating from an Indian number.
The message sought feedback and suggestions on the Indian government’s schemes and initiatives, accompanied by a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the form of a PDF attachment.
In the letter, issued on the eve of the announcement of the general elections, Prime Minister Modi expressed the importance of receiving ideas, suggestions, and support in building a prosperous India. While some recipients found the unsolicited message pleasantly surprising, others, particularly non-Indians, were left puzzled, questioning their involvement.
This Filipino reporter received the same message, thinking about what sort of suggestions the prime minister needed from him.
Will the @ECISVEEP take note of such a blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party? pic.twitter.com/wrV6iWwfsJ
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 18, 2024
Another Deira-based Filipino shared with The Global Filipino Magazine the same message, wondering how the Indian government got a hold of her number.
