Facebook issue: BJP MP in war of words with IT Parl panel chief Tharoor

Amid the controversy on social media platform Facebook and WhatsApp, the Standing Committee on Information and technology will examine Facebook to seek the detail of manipulation of content. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday moved a notice for breach of privilege against panel chairperson Shashi Tharoor’s decision to probe findings of the August 14 report in The Wall Street Journal about Facebook’s alleged “misconduct.

New Delhi: A Twitter duel erupted on Monday between BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Opposition MPs Shashi Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on Information Technology, and Mahua Moitra over the prospect of the panel seeking views of Facebook about a media report claiming that it refused to apply hate speech rules to certain ruling party politicians.

In the report published on Friday, US newspaper Wall Street Journal cited interviews with unnamed Facebook insiders to claim that one of its senior India policy executives intervened in internal communication to stop a permanent ban on a BJP MLA from Telangana after he allegedly made communally charged posts.

Reacting to the development, Tharoor said on Sunday that the panel would like to hear from Facebook about the report and what they propose to do about hate-speech in India.

BJP MP and IT panel member Nishikant Dubey, reacting to Tharoor's comments, had said these panels should not be made a political platform by members to satisfy "ego of their respective party leaders".

The matter again gathered steam when Dubey tweeted on Monday morning, saying the Chairman of the Standing Committee does not have the authority to do anything without discussion of the agenda with its members.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, Chairman of Parliament's Standing committee on Information Technology, has given a notice for breach of privilege against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his alleged disparaging remarks.

Reportedly, the Thiruvananthpuram MP alleged that Dubey posted such remarks on social media over his decision to summon the panel's meeting to discuss the alleged "misconduct" of Facebook. Dubey, commented on the social media after Tharoor had said on Sunday that the parliamentary panel would like to hear from Facebook on the issue.

This drew a sharp response from Trinamool Congress MP and member IT Committee Mahua Moitra who said when to schedule each item and who to call is the Chairman's prerogative.

"Am IT, committee member - agenda item was already agreed and bulletinised with Speaker's approval at the beginning of the year. When to schedule each item and who to call is Chairman's prerogative," she said on Twitter.

"Amazing how BJP jumps up and down at anything to do with FB’s interests!" she alleged.

Tagging Moitra's tweet, Tharoor said on Twitter, "You are absolutely right...by imputing motives to my decision, Nishikant Dubey has brought the Committee''s work into disrepute, a matter I will take up."

Extraordinary that an MP would suggest that a matter of such great public interest should "not be taken up by us", Tharoor said.

Dubey responded by saying, "Thanks for your comment, time will tell who brought the committee’s work into disrepute Mr. Chairman."

Notably, A slugfest had erupted between the Congress and the BJP on Sunday following the report in the Wall Street Journal claiming that Facebook ignored applying its hate speech rules to politicians of the ruling party in India.

(with PTI inputs)