No Need for Ban on Bajrang Dal, Facebook India MD Tells Parl Panel

The Facebook India MD also appeared before the committee in September over hate speech issues related to Ankhi Das.

Ajit Mohan is to appear before the Delhi Assembly’s Committee on Peace and Harmony on 15 September.

(Photo: PTI)

Facebook's India head Ajit Mohan deposed before a parliamentary panel on Wednesday and was questioned about a recent report that the social media giant is reluctant to ban the Bajrang Dal due to concerns over the security of its staff, PTI reported.

Sources said Mohan told the panel that Facebook India fact checkers have done due diligence and no content was found violating the platform’s social media policy. Hence, the option of banning does not apply to Bajrang Dal.

Mohan deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

The Wall Street Journal report suggested that despite an internal assessment calling for a ban on the Bajrang Dal, Facebook has not cracked down on the Hindu nationalist group due to financial considerations and concerns over the safety of its employees.

The panel had called him on the issue of the citizens' data safety. Mohan was accompanied by Shivnath Thukral, the public policy director of Facebook. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, along with Tharoor, questioned Mohan about a recent Wall Street Journal report on banning the Bajrang Dal on Facebook, sources said.

Mohan and Thukral testified at a hearing titled, “Evidence of representatives of Facebook on 'Safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space.”

Mohan Was Summoned in September Over Ankhi Das-Hate Speech Issue

Mohan was also grilled for over two-and-a-half hours by the Parliamentary Committee on IT on 2 September.

Mohan, who was summoned by the 30-member standing committee, was asked a wide range of questions including on the recent Wall Street Journal articles, allegations of political bias among its top executives, and inaction on hate speech posts and political advertisements during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Mohan, who faced a barrage of questions, was also asked what he had to say about allegations of Facebook actively promoting hate speech.

In his response, Mohan stated that the social media company denounces all hate speech and denied claims of bias towards any political party, according panel members who were present at the meeting.