Congress slams ‘raid’ on Twitter workplaces, calls it attempt to ‘homicide’ freedom of speech
After two police groups descended on Twitter’s workplaces in Delhi and Gurgaon, the Congress on Monday alleged that the “cowardly raid” on the microblogging web site’s workplaces by the Delhi Police “exposes lameduck attempts” to disguise a “fraudulent toolkit” by BJP leaders.
The Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Monday despatched a discover to Twitter India in reference to the probe right into a criticism about an alleged ‘COVID toolkit’, asking it to share data based mostly on which it had categorized a associated tweet by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra as “manipulated media”, officers mentioned. Two police groups additionally descended on the microblogging web site’s workplaces in Lado Sarai in Delhi and in Gurgaon this night.
Reacting to the event, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala mentioned on Twitter, “Cowardly raid on @Twitter unleashed by Delhi Police exposes lameduck attempts to hide the fraudulent toolkit by BJP leaders.”
Such makes an attempt to “murder” freedom of speech lay naked the BJP’s guilt, he mentioned and tagged his video assertion on the problem. In the video assertion, Surjewala alleged that the “subjugation of free speech, the attempts to stifle every voice that is a dissenting voice against this government and the state-sponsored fraudulent means to propagate and to instill fear continue unabated in Modi government”.
He alleged that the BJP solid paperwork to produce a “fake toolkit”. The Congress chief claimed that after the toolkit was “exposed”, the BJP and the Modi authorities, being scared of it, was “raiding” Twitter workplaces each in Delhi and in Gurgaon.
“Why, the guilty people are sitting in BJP headquarters and in seat of power, but, you are raiding Twitter’s office in Delhi and Gurgaon, what is the reason there of?” he mentioned.
Surjewala alleged that the BJP is “running scared of its lies” and getting caught and being branded as manipulated and fraudulent by social media platforms.
The BJP had accused the Congress of making a ‘toolkit’ that seeks to tarnish the picture of the nation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the dealing with of the COVID pandemic. However, the Congress denied the allegation and claimed that the BJP is propagating a faux ‘toolkit’ to defame it.
Last week, Twitter labelled as “manipulated media” a tweet by Patra on the alleged ‘toolkit’. Twitter says it “may label Tweets that include media (videos, audio, and images) that have been deceptively altered or fabricated”.
In his assertion, Surjewala mentioned the middleman guidelines, which give the ability to the federal government to direct folks to take off numerous posts, haven’t even come into play. “They come into play only on 25th May, 2021 then why the action today? Under what provision of law notices are being issued?” he mentioned.
Surjewala requested that when BJP leaders are being accused of fraud then why is the federal government standing in shelter thereof.
“None less than the IT Minister himself and half a dozen other ministers have also tweeted this manipulated and fraudulent media. Now they are scared that their lies are going to get exposed and the oath of the constitution that they took will stand annihilated and violated and that’s why social media platforms are being targeted,” he alleged.
“Please remember Mr. Prime Minister that free speech and rights to express opinion is our fundamental right in this country,” Surejwala mentioned. “You can’t subjugate the constitution, you can’t stifle free speech and you will not be able to suppress the voice of the young or voice of people of this country,” he mentioned.
The authorities had earlier requested Twitter to take away the ‘manipulated media’ tag because the matter is pending earlier than a legislation enforcement company, and made it clear that the social media platform can not move judgment when the problem is below investigation.
BJP leaders, together with Patra, have posted quite a few tweets to assault the Congress over the purported ‘toolkit’.
On May 19, the Congress lodged a police criticism in search of registration of circumstances in opposition to BJP chief J P Nadda, Union minister Smriti Irani, BJP normal secretary B L Santosh and Patra over the alleged forgery of paperwork.
The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress’ college students wing NSUI additionally lodged a criticism in opposition to Patra and former chief minister Raman Singh for allegedly “forging” the letterhead of the AICC Research Department and printing “false and fabricated” content material on it.
On the idea of the criticism, a case has been filed in opposition to Patra and Singh on the Civil Lines police station in Raipur.
READ MORE: Explain ‘manipulated media’ tag for Sambit Patra’s tweet: Delhi Police sends discover to Twitter
READ MORE: ‘Toolkit’ probe: Delhi Police groups descend on 2 Twitter workplaces to serve discover
