Congress writes to Facebook CEO over alleged "bias"
Demands probe into the conduct of India leadership
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, accusing Facebook India of "interfering" with the country's electoral democracy, and demanded a time-bound high level inquiry into the conduct of Facebook India leadership team, and their operations.
In a letter to Zuckerberg, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also demanded that pending the internal investigation and submission of the report, the company should "consider a new team to lead Facebook India operations so as to not influence the probe".
"Set up a high level inquiry by Facebook headquarters into the Facebook India leadership team and their operations and submit a report to the Board of Facebook within one or two months. The report should also be made public," Venugopal said in the letter.
The Congress and other opposition parties have attacked the social media giant after a US media report alleged that Facebook did not apply its hate speech rules on BJP leaders.
In its response, Facebook on Monday said the company's social media platform prohibits hate speech and content that incites violence, adding these policies are enforced globally without regard to political affiliation.
However, Facebook, which counts India among its largest markets globally, acknowledged that "there is more to do".
Facebook "May be a willing participant in thwarting the rights and values that the founding leaders of the Congress sacrificed their lives for", Venugopal said, and asked the US firm to publish all instances of "hate speech posts since 2014 that were allowed on the platform."
"The WSJ article mentions hate speech of at least three other politicians that were wilfully permitted by Facebook India," he said.
Venugopal cited the WSJ article of August 14 about alleged FB India's "blatant basis in content regulation" and said "it was not a surprise revelation".
He said Congress has repeatedly raised the issue of "bias" with many Facebook and WhatsApp executives.
He said other political parties have raised the issue in India's Parliament adding that the Congress has separately demanded a probe by a Parliamentary Committee in India into "this very serious issue of Facebook's interference in world's largest electoral democracy".
Venugopal said the Congress is joined by other leading political parties in "expressing fear over Facebook's purported role in manipulating India's electoral democracy".
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Karnataka: College student dies by suicide in Dharwad, 3 policemen suspended
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
