New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi broke his day's silence and responded to the Facebook data scandal on Thursday where he accused the government of "inventing" stories on the Congress's involvement to divert attention from the controversy following External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's statement on the killing of 39 Indian hostages in Iraq's Mosul.

The Congress president also took a swipe at the media for "biting the bait".

Problem: 39 Indians dead; Govt on the mat, caught lying. Solution: Invent story on Congress & Data Theft. Result: Media networks bite bait; 39 Indians vanish from radar. Problem solved.

The Congress and the BJP on Wednesday blamed each other after it emerged that the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica - a London-based data firm accused of accessing data of millions of Facebook users to help elect US President Donald Trump in 2016 - could have links to electoral process in India.

Union Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that the Congress had been in touch with the firm.

Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "We support press freedom but don't like misuse of social media in the electoral process. As IT and law minister, I have to make it clear."

The Union Minister also warned of action against Facebook, if need be.

Also read: Ravi Shankar Prasad warns Facebook of strong action if it sways poll process

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala denied that the party had used the services of Cambridge Analytica and claimed that the services were used by BJP in 2010.

Also read: Congress denies links to Cambridge Analytica, says BJP used services in 2010

A day before the data breach controversy exploded, the Congress on Tuesday slammed into the government for "lying" and "misleading the nation" on the 39 Indians who were captured by the ISIS in Iraq's Mosul in 2014.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Union minister Sushma Swaraj said that DNA tests confirmed that the Indian workers had been shot dead. Their remains were found buried under a mound.

Also read: All 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq’s Mosul killed by ISIS: Sushma Swaraj

In July, 2017 Sushma Swaraj had said that unless evidence suggested otherwise, the Indians would be presumed alive and safe.