Unfazed by controversies, Congress leader and chairman of the parliamentary panel on IT Shashi Tharoor on Thursday summoned Facebook to appear before the panel to discuss the issue of alleged misuse of social media platforms in the wake of claims that the US firm did not apply hate speech rules to certain BJP politicians.
Facebook has been asked to depose before the panel on ‘safeguarding citizens’ rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space’.
Besides representatives of Facebook, the representatives of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have also been asked to remain present during the September 2 deposition.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had kicked off a storm by expressing his intent to summon the social media giant before the panel on social media on August 16. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused Congress MP of trying to use the panel to further his party’s political agenda. Nishikant Dubey and his party colleague Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore have also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking Tharoor’s removal from the post of the parliamentary panel’s chairman. Tharoor has also issued a breach of privilege notice against Dubey for making “disparaging remarks” on social media.
BJP MPs Dubey and Rathore are part of the parliamentary panel Tharoor heads.
Parliamentary panel to discuss internet shutdowns
A day before taking up the Facebook row, the parliamentary standing committee on information technology will take up another contentious issue – suspension of telecom services and its impact in Jammu and Kashmir.
For the September 1 meeting, representatives of ministries of communications and home affairs have been called, as also those from Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi governments, according to the agenda notifications issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Representatives of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, News Broadcasters Association, Press Council of India and Prasar Bharati have been invited for the discussion on ‘Ethical Standards in Media Coverage.
Read | Facebook row: Shashi Tharoor, Nishikant Dubey file breach of privilege notices against each other
Read | Hate speech row: Congress digs deep, alleges collusion between Facebook, BJP since 2012
Watch | Shashi Tharoor insists probe by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Facebook, BJP hits back