FB India under Ankhi Das went soft on militant Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal to save business: WSJ report
This report was first published in www.jantakareporter.com and has been posted here without any alterations or editing. To read the original report, CLICK HERE
In a new revelation, America’s Wall Street Journal has reported that Facebook had gone soft on Hindu militant outfit Bajrang Dal, to protect its staff and business interests in India. This was even after Facebook’s own safety team concluded that the militant Hindu organisation with ties with the ruling BJP had supported violence against minorities across India. The safety team had even concluded Bajrang Dal qualified as a ‘dangerous organisation’ and should be banned from its social media platform.
This was after the Hindu radical outfit claimed responsibility for the attack on a Delhi church through a video that clocked more than 2,50,000 views on Facebook.
Facebook’s safety team also advised against taking coercive action against two other militant Hindu outfits namely Sanatan Sanstha and Sri Ram Sena. The WSJ report added that a group of Facebook’s employees had stated in an internal letter and posts on Facebook discussion groups that the presence of ‘Bajrang Dal on its platform, among other organizations, casts doubt on the company’s commitment to tackle hate speech in India.’
Reacting to the WSJ’s revelation, Facebook spokesman Andy Stone was quoted as saying, “We enforce our Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy globally without regard to political position or party affiliation.”
Facebook has been at the centre of huge controversy this year after it was revealed that its lobbyist and India policy director Ankhi Das had promoted Islamophobia using her Facebook account when she called Indian Muslims a traditionally ‘degenerate community.’ The WSJ had alleged in August that Das had stopped Facebook from taking action against a known BJP hatemonger, Raja Singh, when he issued a call for mass violence against Muslims.
A group of Facebook employees had written an open letter on the company’s internal platform demanding answers to some tough questions on ‘anti-Muslim bigotry’ promoted by the India team under Ankhi Das. The letter had also demanded diverse representation in Facebook’s ‘policy team in India (and elsewhere).’
Faced with growing outrage both within the organisation and outside, Das had decided to step down from her post in October this year. Incidentally, Ankhi Das was at the helm of Facebook’s policy decision making when a decision was taken to go soft on Bajrang Dal.
Courtesy: www.jantakareporter.com
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SC seeks ED's response on journalist's bail plea in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response within three days on a bail plea of journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the jailed journalist, to file rejoinder, if needed, to the ED's response within two days of it being filed.
The top court fixed the case for further hearing on December 15.
During the brief hearing on Monday, Sibal said a journalist has been facing as many as six cases.
"The journalist is accused of extortion," the counsel for the ED said and sought a short adjournment on the ground that Solicitor General Tuhar Mehta was unavailable at the moment.
The top court on September 8 sought responses from the Gujarat government and the ED on Langa's bail plea.
While issuing the notices on Langa's bail plea, the bench asked, "What kind of a journalist is he?"
"With due respect, there are some very genuine journalists. But there are also people who on their scooter say we are 'patrakar' (journalists) and what they actually do everybody knows," the bench told Sibal.
Sibal replied that these are all allegations.
"In one FIR, he gets anticipatory bail, then a second FIR is lodged and again anticipatory bail is granted but now he is booked under a third FIR for income tax evasion. There are other things also against him," Sibal submitted.
He added that there is a background to the case also.
On July 31, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the money laundering case on the grounds that if released on bail, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.
On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
He was first arrested in October 2024 in a GST fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
