The Congress on Friday wrote to Facebook,demanding an internal inquiry into the functioning of its unit in India. Ata press conference held to highlight the issue, the party also demanded a jointparliamentary committee (JPC) probe into alleged manipulation of elections bythe US tech company.
India is one of the biggest markets forFacebook with the largest number of users. Congress party's social mediapresident Rohan Gupta said, "It is extremely unfortunate that your companyfavors its commercial interests over the lives and safety of its users."
Mr. Gupta urged Mr. Zuckerberg to conduct aninternal inquiry into the functioning of Facebook India and release thefindings to the public. “It is your responsibility as the head of thisorganization to hold those responsible for betraying our people accountable fortheir actions,” he stated.
He alleged that Facebook was used as weaponby the BJP to spread hate in India. “There is an attempt to attack the unity ofour country and everyone has to understand this and fight it together,” headded.
Parveen Chakravarty, who heads the AICCTechnology and Data cell, said this issue is very serious and everyone has tofight it together.
“The world’s largest democracy is beingmanipulated by an American tech company. This is not any more about the Congress orthe BJP, it is about India and Indians. It is about the sanctity of ourdemocracy. Are we going to accept this kind of control of our society? It’stime for us to come together and resist this,” Mr. Chakravarty observed.
This is not the firsttime Congress has written a letter to Facebook. Last year, the GrandOld Party wrote twice to Mark Zuckerberg questioning the company's neutrality.