BJP leader files PIL in SC against 'Anti-India' content on Twitter

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a mechanism to check Twitter content and advertisements spreading hatred through fake news and instigative messages via bogus accounts.

New Delhi:BJP leader Vinit Goenka has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the government and Twitter to develop a mechanism to keep a check on hate, divisive, instigative, separatist, seditious, etc content on the social media platform.

He also requested the government to make a law so that action can be taken against Twitter for promoting "Anti-India" tweets.

Goenka stated that Twitter is not governed by the Indian constitution and can operate with impunity and therefore, a law is required to deal with the content posted on the platform.

"In the absence of any law to deal with offensive and hateful messages, the platforms like Twitter are knowingly promoting the messages which are against the law of the land and therefore, the Respondent No. 4(Twitter) needs to explain for circulating and promoting the prohibited content from their company Twitter," read the PIL.

Citing an example of a banned organisation, Sikhs for Justice, Goenka says that in spite of Home Ministry banning it, it has an active presence on Twitter espousing hatred, terrorism and sedition, criminal acts under the constitution.

He also alleged that Twitter is "sympathetic to Terrorist groups".

He cited the open letter of United Nations of Human Rights which expressed concerns about the increasing global hate speeches which was signed by the 26 mandates of the different countries.

"Global terror groups lime ISIS, AL Qaeda and Indian Mujahidin use the platform of Respondent No. 1 (Union of India) and other social networking platforms to circulate hate speeches because it helps them avoid detection. In India, there have been numerous examples when fake videos and hate messages were circulated through this platform to create communal strife. Recently, Delhi Riots 2020 is the freshest example," read the petition.

Vinit Goenka is the Member of the Governing Council of CRIS, Ministry of Railways and also the member of Task Force (IT) of Ministries of Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping.