Create congenial atmosphere to hold election in J&K, Congress to centre
New Delhi, June 20: A day after BJP ended its alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir and the state came under Governor's rule, Congress on Wednesday accused both parties of "betraying" the people's aspirations in the lust of power and demanded the Central government ensure a "congenial atmosphere" for conduct of fresh elections.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "At the moment there is Governor's rule. By when will the centre and Governor create an atmosphere and ensure that the security scenario will change and law and order is maintained so that we can have elections.
"We don't want to have elections like we had during (Srinagar) Lok Sabha bypoll, where the poll percentage was 7 per cent."
"We would definitely like to have a government representing the people of the state. The Governor and the government of India must create a congenial atmosphere for the elections," he said to a query about early elections in the state.
Azad also saod the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has betraying the people of Jammu and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) of betraying the people of Kashmir by "forging an unethical alliance" in the state while the BJP central leadership has "betrayed the people of the country".
Also accusing the BJP of setting the state on "a fire of anarchy and radicalization" in its three years coalition rule with PDP, the Congress sought to know from the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to what plans they had for bringing normalcy and peace back to the state.
"The BJP, in its pursuit of power and political opportunism, in the past three years, disrupted the ongoing constructive engagement with the people of the state and has imperiled the security situation, setting the state of Jammu and Kashmir on a fire of anarchy, radicalization, malgovernance and corruption," Azad and party colleague Ambika Soni said in a statement after a meeting of party's core group on Jammu and Kashmir held at the behest of party President Rahul Gandhi.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, P. Chidambaram and Karan Singh also attended the meeting.
The Congress said that both BJP and PDP share "equal blame" for undoing all the progress towards normalcy achieved during the United Progressive Alliance government.
Slamming the Modi government's "directionless, agenda-less and clueless policy", the Congress asked: "How does Prime Minister Modi propose to ensure peace and normalcy in the state?"
It also sought to know the economic roadmap for inclusion and progress for the state's people, proposals to prevent the radicalization of youth as well how the Modi government proposes to engage with various sections of the state "in order to win their hearts and minds".
"We caution the Modi government to correct its flawed approach and work for rebuilding the trust and restoration of normalcy in the state," it said.
Noting BJP leaders and ministers have been citing national interest as a reason for breaking the alliance, Azad said he thanked them for "accepting this that they were working against national interest in the last three years".
Congress' state chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir said: "It was expected from the day the alliance was formed that it would break. People of the state did not accept this alliance. Both the parties PDP and BJP betrayed their own voters by this alliance. Hence, it led to political alienation which it was increasing.
"As an opposition, we supported their Agenda of Alliance. But it was also a false promise. Modi's promise of Rs 80,000 crore to the state was not a 'package' but it was 'packaging'. The alliance was broken keeping 2019 election in mind."
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CCI slaps Meta with Rs 213 crore fine over WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update
New Delhi, Nov 18: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on social media major Meta for unfair business ways with respect to WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021.
Besides, the competition watchdog has directed Meta to “cease and desist” from anti-competitive practices.
Meta and WhatsApp have also been asked to implement certain behavioural remedies within a defined timeline to address the anti-competition issues, according to a CCI order.
The regulator has called for implementing various remedial measures, including barring WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years.
Among other directions, CCI has said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
The Competition Commission of India (Commission) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for abusing its dominant position,
Passing the order against abuse of dominance, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said this (penalty) relates to how WhatsApp's 2021 Privacy Policy was implemented and how user data was collected and shared with other Meta companies.
For the case, CCI delineated two relevant markets -- OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India, and online display advertising in India. "Meta Group operating through WhatsApp was found to be dominant in the market for OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India. "Furthermore, it was also found that Meta holds a leading position compared to its competitors in online display advertising in India," CCI said in a release.
Starting from January 2021, WhatsApp notified users about updates to its terms of service and privacy policies.
The in-app notification, effective from February 8, 2021, stated that users were required to accept these terms, including expanded scope of data collection as well as mandatory data sharing with Meta companies, to continue using WhatsApp.
Under the previous privacy policy dated August 25, 2016, WhatsApp users were given the option to decide whether they wanted to share their data with Facebook, the release said.
"However, with the latest policy update in 2021, WhatsApp made data sharing with Meta mandatory for all users, removing the earlier option to opt-out. As a result, users had to accept the new terms, which include data sharing with Meta, in order to continue using the platform," it added.
The watchdog has concluded that the 2021 policy update by WhatsApp on a "take-it-or-leave-it" basis constitutes an imposition of unfair condition under the Competition Act, as it compels all users to accept expanded data collection terms and sharing of data within Meta Group without any opt out.
"Given the network effects and lack of effective alternatives, the 2021 update forces users to comply, undermining their autonomy, and constitutes an abuse of Meta's dominant position. Accordingly, the Commission finds that Meta (through WhatsApp) has contravened Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the Act," it said.
Further, CCI said that sharing of WhatsApp users' data between Meta companies for purposes other than providing WhatsApp Service creates an entry barrier for the rivals of Meta and thus, results in denial of market access in the display advertisement market.
According to the regulator, Meta has engaged in leveraging its dominant position in the OTT messaging apps through smartphones to protect its position in the online display advertising market in contravention of the competition law.
CCI has barred WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years and the debarment period will start from the date of receipt of this order.
With respect to sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than advertising, the regulator said WhatsApp's policy should include a detailed explanation of the user data shared with other Meta companies or Meta company Products.
"This explanation should specify the purpose of data sharing, linking each type of data to its corresponding purpose," it said.
The watchdog also said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
Regarding sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services, CCI said all users in India (including users who have accepted 2021 update) will be provided with the choice to manage such data sharing by way of an opt-out option prominently through an in-app notification.
Also, the regulator has asked for the option to review and modify their choice with respect to such sharing of data through a prominent tab in settings of WhatsApp application, and all future policy updates should comply with these requirements.
