'Don't want corporate America dictating India’s democracy': Sacked Jha slams Facebook

Suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha on Monday criticised social media giant Facebook over alleged data manipulation, stating that Corporate America should not ‘dictate’ Indian politics.

Congress has been alleging a nexus between the BJP and Facebook ever since reports indicating ties between the social media platform and the ruling party in India came to the fore last month. The Opposition party had also written to tech-giant Mark Zuckerberg after a foreign media report alleged that Facebook India had favoured the BJP in contrast to its 'anti-hate speech' rules. Slamming the tech-giant and the BJP, Sanjay Jha said. ‘No political party should indulge in data manipulation.’

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As the Facebook row began to catch heat, Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi also accused the BJP of funding Facebook to manipulate data. The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the digital platform hides economic downfall, Coronavirus tally and Chinese incursions, but pushes ‘fake narratives’ by the Central government because it receives ‘big bucks’ from the ruling party.

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Congress writes to Mark Zuckerberg again

Claiming that WhatsApp has been allowed by Mark Zuckerberg's India Team to be 'appropriated for hate speech,' the Congress wrote its second letter to the Facebook CEO within a fortnight. Citing a report by Time Magazine, the Congress General Secretary wrote to Zuckerberg highlighting that there is evidence of biases and a quid-pro-quo relationship of Facebook India with the ruling BJP.

Furthermore, the Congress claimed, "The WhatsApp platform used by millions of Indians has been willingly allowed by its team to be appropriated for hate speech and the consequent of India's fabric of social harmony." 

Congress has sought Zuckerberg's reply demanding to know the steps taken by the social-media giant to investigate the aforementioned matters. It has also informed, through the second letter, that the party will pursue 'legislative and judicial actions' to ensure that a foreign company cannot continue to cause 'social disharmony' in the country for its 'private profits'.

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