BJP MP Nishikant Dubey moves privilege motion against Rahul Gandhi over Facebook row

As war-of-words between Congress and BJP escalates over Facebook, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey moved a tice for breach of privilege against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. He said that Rahul Gandhi attempted to spread fake news and hatred. 

READ | 'Cant allow manipulation of our hard-earned democracy': Rahul Gandhi on Facebook row

"For first time have I seen that a Chairman of a Parliamentary Committee has moved privilege against its own fellow member. Even after my extensive kwledge on Parliamentary rules, ethics, and conventions I still feel that matter should be discussed in Parliament," Dubey said. 

A breach of privilege motion can be moved by members against ors for violating privileges granted as parliamentarians and if passed against a lawmaker, y result in action that can go up to expulsion from house.

READ | Sena drags Sushant's death case in Cong-BJP exchange over Facebook's 'hate-speech policy'

Rahul Gandhi lashes out at BJP

Earlier on Monday, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleged that 'BJP & RSS controlled Facebook' while opining on a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report on hate-speech on Facebook. He claimed that 'American media had finally come out with truth about Facebook'. Gandhi, who has been continually critical of Modi government alleged that BJP spread fake news and hatred through Facebook to influence electorate. Facebook has currently invested a whopping $5.7 billion in Mukesh Ambani-owned Jio platforms, raking a 9.9 per cent stake in company.

READ | Congress writes to Zuckerberg; wants Facebook India probed for alleged 'hate speech' bias

What does WSJ report claim?

American newspaper Wall Street Journal claimed that BJP's Telangana MLA T Raja Singh had often made communal and incendiary speeches that were posted on Facebook, clashing with company's hate speech rules. report claims that in spite of posts allegedly violating Facebook's hate-speech rules and qualifying as dangerous, Facebook India's top public-policy executive Ankhi Das had claimed that punishing violations by BJP would 'dam company's business prospects in India'. Apart from Singh, three or BJP leaders or Hindutva groups were allegedly flagged by Facebook for hate-speech. 

report furr points out that Facebook has faced issues to launch its telecommunications service - Free Basics in 2016 from Modi government, as it violated net neutrality. report furr stated that while some of Singh's posts were removed by Facebook, social media giant has demoted Singh's account to a n-verified, ufficial account without a blue tick. Citing preferential treatment by Facebook, WSJ points to removal of thousands of Congress-linked Pakistan military posts and several BJP-linked fake news ps prior to Lok Sabha elections. While Facebook publically disclosed deletion of Congress-linked accounts, it allegedly did t disclose removal of BJP-linked posts.

READ | FIR filed against Facebook India's Director Ankhi Das for ‘hurting religious sentiments’