Launching a no-holds-barred attack on Rahul Gandhi for accusing BJP of 'controlling WhatsApp and Facebook', Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday dubbed the Congress leader a "loser" who "keeps cribbing". Prasad also reminded him of the grand old party's alleged alliance with Cambridge Analytica.
"Losers who cannot influence people even in their own party keep cribbing that the entire world is controlled by BJP & RSS. You were caught red-handed in alliance with Cambridge Analytica & Facebook to weaponise data before the elections & now have the gall to question us?" Prasad tweeted.
Losers who cannot influence people even in their own party keep cribbing that the entire world is controlled by BJP & RSS. You were caught red-handed in alliance with Cambridge Analytica & Facebook to weaponise data before the elections & now have the gall to question us? https://t.co/NloUF2WZVY — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) August 16, 2020
In 2018, Cambridge Analytica (CA) whistleblower Christopher Wylie said the controversial data analytics firm "worked extensively" in India, and named Congress as its client while testifying before the UK Parliament.
They (Cambridge Analytica) worked extensively in India. They have an office in India... I believe their client was Congress but I know that they have done all kinds of projects. I don't remember a national project but I know regionally. India's so big that one state can be as big as Britain. But they do have offices there, they do have staff," Wylie had said.
Congress later refuted the charge and instead accused the BJP of hiring the firm to orchestrate its poll campaigns in several states in 2010 and during the Lok Sabha election in 2014. BJP countered the allegations and said the firm in question was founded in 2013 and could not have worked with either party in 2010.
BJP leader Bhupender Yadav also slammed Gandhi and said that the Congress has been peddling the "same lies" as they have no new vision.
As usual, @RahulGandhi has latched on to a baseless foreign media report to link BJP and RSS to hate and hate speech. This is an old project of the Congress. In the absence of any new vision, the Congress continues to peddle the same lies. https://t.co/I2An8T8dVW — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) August 16, 2020
Gandhi cited an article published in The Wall Street Journal on Friday that stated Facebook India "took no action after BJP politicians posted content accusing Muslims of intentionally spreading the coronavirus, plotting against the nation and waging a 'love jihad' campaign by seeking to marry Hindu women". The report quoted a former Facebook employee as saying.
The report has created a buzz in political circles with hashtag 'Anti-India Facebook' trending on Twitter for several hours.
Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology would certainly wish to hear from Facebook about these reports and what they propose to do about hate-speech in India.
Our Parliamentary committee will, in the normal course, consider testimony under the topic “Safeguarding citizens’ rights & prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms”. The subject is squarely within the IT Cmt’s mandate& @Facebook has been summoned in the past. https://t.co/saoK8B7VCN — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 16, 2020
South Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya, however, claimed to have information contrary to the report. He said that he has received complaints that Facebook is "unfairly censoring many nationalist, pro-India or pro-Hindu voices".
"Many have complained that Facebook is unfairly censoring many nationalist, pro-India or pro-Hindu voices. As member of Standing Committee on IT, I will take it up with concerned in appropriate forum. Please send me your complaints, if any, on the issue to [email protected]," he tweeted. Adding to Surya's post, BJP leader Kapil Mishra said that at the same time, the social media application allows "free run to the Islamist agenda and hate against Hindus".
Mishra, known for his controversial remarks, further accused Congress of "blackmailing" Facebook to "hide some serious crimes".
Seems Congress is blackmailing facebook to hide some serious crimes ... Cambridge Analytica scam is just tip of the iceberg of Congress manipulating opinions and freedom of expression in India https://t.co/QTqXucwU80 — Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) August 16, 2020
Congress digital communications member Gaurav Pandhi said that it is worth noting that Prasad isn't denying allegations made by WSJ, but instead "ranting against Rahul Gandhi".
What is imp to note here is, FB Spokie IT Minister isn't denying allegations made by WSJ & is instead ranting against @RahulGandhi, just as usual. To begin with, @rsprasad should tender his resignation for failing to stop @Facebook interfering with India's electoral process. https://t.co/5K5fIoUxLs — Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) August 16, 2020
Facebook said it prohibited hate speech and content that incited violence and enforced these policies globally without regard to anyones political position or party affiliation. "While we know there is more to do, we're making progress on enforcement and conduct regular audits of our process to ensure fairness and accuracy," it said.
Ajay Maken, spokesman of the Congress party, later said at a news briefing, "Congress party demands the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to probe the relations of Facebook and WhatsApp employees with the ruling party." Maken also urged the company to launch an internal enquiry into its Indian oversight team. "This is an issue of Facebook's global credibility," he said.
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