Facebook India Chief Ajit Mohan told the parliamentary 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.
On Thursday, 17 December, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed Mohan over the contradictory statement and cited The Wall Street Journal’s report, which claims that the social media giant's safety team had recommended a ban on the outfit and asked if Facebook was “lying” to India and its Parliament.
Sharing a report by The Wall Street Journal, the former Congress president tweeted saying, “Facebook US says Bajrang Dal content is offensive and should be banned. Facebook India tells our Parliamentary panel that Bajrang Dal content is not offensive." Is Facebook lying to India and its Parliament?”
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 Ajit Mohan on the issue of the citizens' data safety. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, along with Tharoor, had questioned Mohan about The Wall Street Journal report.
(With inputs from PTI)
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