Saket Gokhale alleges Modi govt made 8863 orders to remove content, suspend accounts on Twitter
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Saket Gokhale on Wednesday hit back at the government over refusal of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s claims that the Indian government “pressured” the microblogging site to act against the critical voices during the farmers protest.
Through a series of tweets, Gokhale has cited official data from Twitter Transparency Reports which suggests that the Centre cracks down critical voices. He shared that India submitted maximum government requests for account information during the peak of Anti-CAA and farmers protests.
Between January to December 2020, the government demanded for user details of 5830 accounts which saw an exponential increase of 425% compared to information sought on 1057 accounts in 2019. He stated that the government made 8863 orders for removal of content & account suspension on Twitter in 2021. However, only 32 were court-ordered.
Gokhale also compared the data with other countries which showcased that India accounted for 8% of the global demands of suspension of Twitter accounts. India made 3992 orders for suspension of 12,916 accounts whereas UK and US ordered suspension for 16 and 32 accounts respectively. Only Turkey (4284) and Russia (8370) demanded for more suspension of accounts than India.
It is crystal clear, Gokhale suggests, that the Modi government made “unprecedented demands for Twitter censorship during the anti-CAA & Farmer Protests”. He further questioned whether the ruling party will have the guts to deny this data and term the same as “lies” and “foreign conspiracy”.
Nailing the lies of Modi Govt on Twitter ex-CEO Jack Dorsey's allegations of censorship & spying:
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 14, 2023
Modi Govt has denied allegations of indulging in spying & pressure on Twitter & called them "lies".
But here's the truth based on data from Twitter's Transparency Reports.
In the recorded period of the peak of the Anti-CAA & Farmers Protest:
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 14, 2023
India submitted MAXIMUM GOVT REQUESTS FOR ACCOUNT INFORMATION GLOBALLY during this period
Indian Govt account requests for this period represent 25% OF GLOBAL VOLUME & 15% of ALL GLOBAL ACCOUNTS
(2/13) pic.twitter.com/oyhmEMxvKA
Now in 2021 (COVID period)
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 14, 2023
Indian Govt requests for user details comprised 19% of TOTAL GLOBAL REQUESTS.
Let's compare this with % of global requests from other countries:
UK was 4%
Germany was 6%
Brazil was 2%
AND WAIT...
PAKISTAN WAS LESS THAN 1%
(4/13) pic.twitter.com/d6RtOD5OV4
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Noida labour unrest: UP govt orders interim hike in minimum wages, says final wage fixation soon
Noida (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government has directed an interim hike in minimum wages across worker categories following unrest in Noida, with revised rates coming into effect from April 1 retrospectively, officials here said on Tuesday.
The wage hike translates into an increase of up to Rs 3,000 across categories, with workers in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad witnessing a rise of up to 21 per cent in their monthly earnings, they said
The process for final wage fixation would be taken up through a wage board to be constituted soon, and the government is also considering additional welfare measures related to workers' health, pension and education of their children, Industrial Development Commissioner Deepak Kumar said.
The wage increase has been done by the high-powered committee, formed to look into the labour issues after large-scale protests by factory workers in Noida on Monday, to provide immediate financial relief to the workers, the officials said.
"The decision was approved by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh late last night," Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam said.
According to a statement, the committee is working towards resolving industrial discord through dialogue and coordination, while also considering further measures to address workers' concerns.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to employers to ensure timely payment of wages, proper overtime compensation, weekly offs, bonuses and social security benefits, while maintaining safe working conditions, particularly for female workers, the statement said.
In Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, unskilled workers will now get Rs 13,690 per month, up from Rs 11,313, while semi-skilled workers will receive Rs 15,059, and skilled workers Rs 16,868, according to an official statement.
For other municipal corporation areas, the revised monthly wages have been fixed at Rs 13,006 for unskilled workers, Rs 14,306 for semi-skilled workers, and Rs 16,025 for skilled workers.
In the remaining districts, unskilled workers will get Rs 12,356 per month, semi-skilled workers Rs 13,591, and skilled workers Rs 15,224. The decision follows consultations with employers' bodies and labour organisations.
The government said suggestions and objections were examined to ensure a "balanced and practical" outcome.
The statement said that industries are facing global economic challenges, including rising input costs and declining exports, even as workers' demands regarding wages, overtime, safety and working conditions remain "relevant and important."
"In such a situation, it is essential to adopt a balanced approach between industry and labour," the government said, adding that provisions under the new labour codes aim to ensure fair wages and protect workers' interests.
It said it is considering an interim increase in wages based on indexation and will initiate the process for final wage fixation on the recommendations of a wage board to be constituted soon.
Meanwhile, the government dismissed as "fake and misleading" reports circulating on social media claiming that a uniform minimum wage of Rs 20,000 per month had been fixed for workers.
Clarifying the position, it said the process of determining a national "floor wage" under the new labour codes is underway at the central level and no such notification had been issued.
Industrial Development Commissioner Deepak Kumar said the decision on wage hike was taken following a detailed review of the recent developments and was aimed at providing immediate financial relief to workers while maintaining a balanced approach.
"The Uttar Pradesh government, on the directions of the Chief Minister, has decided to implement an interim increase in minimum wages. The highest increase has been given to the skilled category, and in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, the hike goes up to 21 per cent. These revised rates will be effective from April 1, 2026," he said.
The committee, which visited Noida following the unrest, said workers' representatives had maintained that their agitation was peaceful and centred around demands such as wage hikes, weekly offs, double overtime pay, safety and dignified working conditions.
At the same time, the possibility of the involvement of "external elements" in the violence was flagged, with workers themselves expressing apprehension about outsiders fuelling the unrest, they said.
To address grievances and ensure better coordination, the administration has set up a dedicated control room at the district level. Workers can register complaints and seek assistance through helpline numbers 120-2978231, 120-2978232, 120-2978862 and 120-2978702, officials said.
The state government has also issued strict directions for action against anti-social elements involved in the violence, launching a special drive to identify such individuals through technical surveillance, intelligence inputs and local information gathering.
The officials said those found responsible would face stringent legal action, including arrests and criminal cases, asserting that attempts to disturb industrial harmony and law and order would not be tolerated.
So far, over 300 people have been arrested and seven FIRs lodged at different police stations in connection with Monday's violence, Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said on Tuesday.
