Government issues notice to TikTok, Helo; asks them to answer queries or face ban
New Delhi: Government has issued notices to social media platforms TikTok and Helo along with a set of 21 questions threatening to ban these apps if it does not receive appropriate response, official sources said.
The action from Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) follows complaint by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) to the Prime Minister, in which it alleged that the platforms are being used for anti-national activities.
When contacted, Tiktok and Helo in a joint statement said they have plans to invest USD 1 billion over the period of next three years to develop technology infrastructure and owns responsibility of local community.
Meity has sought reply from TikTok and Helo on allegation that these platforms have become "a hub of anti-national activities", and has sought assurance that the data of Indian users are not being transferred at present and will not be transferred in future also "to any other foreign government or any third party or private entity", according to sources.
Meity has also sought response on the initiative being taken to check fake news and steps being taken to be compliant under Indian laws.
The IT ministry has asked explanation from Helo on allegation that it has paid a huge sum to other media platforms for putting 11,000 morphed political ads on social media sites.
The ministry has also raised concern around the violation of child privacy and entry age of 13 years being set by these platforms to enrol users while person below age of 18 years is considered child in India.
TikTok and Helo in the joint statement said that they are grateful for the immense support given by India's growing digital community.
"Our continued success in India will not be possible without the support of our local community. We take our responsibilities to this community seriously and welcome this opportunity to fully collaborate with the Government to meet and exceed our obligations," the statement said.
India is one of the strongest market for TikTok and Helo.
"In line with our commitment to India, we are investing USD 1 billion dollars in India over the next three years, with a strategic focus on developing technology infrastructure, establishing local partnerships and supporting initiatives such as the Skill India Program which we are proud to be assisting with already," the statement said.
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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah accuses EC of ‘bias’, defends state guarantee schemes ahead of bypolls
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused the EC of "double standards" and "bias" after it sought details on the state’s guarantee schemes in Davanagere and Bagalkot districts, where bypolls are scheduled for Thursday.
In a post on 'X' on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said the Election Commission of India had asked the Karnataka government for information on fund releases under five ongoing guarantee schemes in the constituencies going to polls.
The polls were necessitated following the deaths of senior Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, respectively.
The schemes are Gruha Jyothi, which provides 200 units of free electricity to every household; Gruha Lakshmi, offering Rs 2,000 to women heading families; and Anna Bhagya, supplying 10 kg of rice per month to each member of BPL families.
In addition, Yuva Nidhi grants Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 to unemployed diploma holders aged 18–25 for two years, while Shakti enables women to travel free of charge within Karnataka on government non-luxury buses.
Siddaramaiah alleged that the ECI had remained silent when similar cash transfer schemes were announced in Maharashtra and Bihar ahead of elections, calling the scrutiny of Karnataka’s schemes a "clear case of bias".
"In states like Maharashtra and Bihar, cash transfer schemes were announced or fast-tracked just before elections, directly benefiting voters. Yet the ECI remained silent. This is not neutrality—it is complicity," he said.
The CM accused the BJP and NDA governments of "a double standard", noting that when they act, the ECI "looks the other way", but when Karnataka fulfils its promises, it faces "intense scrutiny".
He added that targeting the state’s guarantee schemes is "not just political but anti-poor, anti-women, and anti-Karnataka."
Siddaramaiah clarified that these schemes were not launched in connection with the bypolls but are ongoing programmes implemented as part of the Congress government’s commitments from the 2023 Assembly elections.
Funds are transferred regularly to beneficiaries in a transparent and structured manner, he added.
"The guarantees are part of governance—a direct investment in human dignity, household stability, and economic participation, not inducement," he said.
He also accused the BJP of "hypocrisy", saying that while it criticises Karnataka’s schemes as "freebies", it rolls out similar programmes in states it governs.
"The Karnataka model has set a benchmark for the country. What is deeply concerning, however, is the ECI’s selective approach," Siddaramaiah added.
