Rahul Gandhi once again attacked Facebook, WhatsApp in a tweet this morning.
New Delhi:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi once again accused Facebook and WhatsApp of attacking “India’s democracy and social harmony” this morning, days after his party wrote to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for the second time. in two weeks, about the social media giant’s alleged bias towards BJP.
“The international media has fully exposed Facebook and WhatsApp’s brazen assault on India’s democracy and social harmony. No one, least of all a foreign company, can interfere in our nation’s affairs. They must be investigated immediately and, when found guilty, punished (sic), “the former head of Congress tweeted along with a Wall Street Journal report.
The latest report from the foreign publication claims that Facebook executive Ankhi Das did not apply the rules of hate speech to members of the ruling BJP.
Das, head of public policy at Facebook India, “made internal posts for several years” detailing her support for the ruling BJP and belittling her main rival, according to the report.
The international media has fully exposed the blatant attack by Facebook and WhatsApp on India’s democracy and social harmony.
No one, least of all a foreign company, can interfere in the affairs of our nation.
They must be investigated immediately and, when found guilty, they must be punished. pic.twitter.com/5tRw797L2y
– Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 1, 2020
Congress, in its letter to Mark Zuckerberg on Saturday, sought details about steps being taken to investigate the alleged bias. “We urge you to let us know what steps your company plans to take to investigate these matters … you will also take legislative and judicial action in India to ensure that a foreign company can no longer cause social discord in our nation to pursue private benefits.” the letter said.
The same day, Gandhi had shared an article in Time magazine when he said that he “exposes the nexus between WhatsApp and BJP.”
“America’s Time magazine exposes the nexus between WhatsApp and BJP: Used by Rs 40 crore Indians, WhatsApp also wants to be used to make payments for which Modi government approval is needed. Therefore, BJP has control over WhatsApp, “said the 50-year-old. The congressional deputy’s tweet read.
Facebook India is already scheduled to appear before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, which is chaired by Congressman Shashi Tharoor, on Wednesday to answer questions raised by the Journal article.
BJP’s Nishikant Dubey wrote to the chairman of Lok Om Birla last month, demanding that Tharoor be removed from the panel.
Last month, amid a political row, Facebook had called it an “open, transparent and non-partisan platform.” “Facebook is and has always been an open, transparent and non-partisan platform where people can express themselves freely,” said Facebook India Vice President and Managing Director Ajit Mohan in a post.
The BJP, dismissing the allegations, had previously cited the Cambridge Analytica data scandal of three years ago. “You were caught red-handed in partnership with Cambridge Analytica and Facebook to turn data into weapons before the election and now you have the nerve to question us?” Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted last month.
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