Twitter has said its rules are “enforced judiciously and impartially for everyone”, and that it took “proactive action on several hundred tweets that posted an image that violated our Rules”
A hashtag #TwitterBJPseDarGaya (Twitter is afraid of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party) also trended following the locking of Twitter handles
About 5,000 Twitter accounts, including those of several senior Congress leaders and the party’s official handle, were temporarily locked on Thursday after they shared a photograph of Rahul Gandhi meeting a minor rape victim’s family in Delhi. Most Congress leaders and workers changed profile pictures, and names of their Twitter handles to that of Rahul Gandhi over the locking of his profile.
“They can lock us out on a platform, but they can’t lockout our voice for the sake of people,” Gandhi said in an Instagram post after his Twitter handle was locked.
Calling Twitter biased, the Congress leader said, “Our democracy is under attack. We are not allowed to speak in Parliament. The media is controlled. And I thought there was a ray of light where we could put what we thought on Twitter. But obviously, that’s not the case. It’s obvious now that Twitter is actually not a neutral, objective platform. It’s something that listens to what the government of the day says.”
“As Indians, we have to ask the question: Are we going to allow companies just because they are beholden to the Government of India to define our politics for us? Or are we going to define our politics on our own?” Rahul asked.
Twitter has said its rules are “enforced judiciously and impartially for everyone”, and that it took “proactive action on several hundred tweets that posted an image that violated our Rules”.
Defending its decision, Twitter said it was alerted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights “about specific content on our platform that allegedly revealed the identity of an alleged sexual assault victim’s (and a minor’s) parents”.
Attack on democracy’: Rahul Gandhi on Twitter blocking his account
Calling Twitter biased, the Congress leader said, “Our democracy is under attack. We are not allowed to speak in Parliament. The media is controlled. And I thought there was a ray of light where we could put what we thought on Twitter. But obviously, that’s not the case.”
Calling it an “attack on the democratic structure of the country”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at Twitter for shutting down his Twitter profile.
“This is not an attack on Rahul Gandhi. I have 19-20 million followers. You are denying them the right to an opinion. That’s what you are doing,” Rahul said via a video on YouTube. He added, “A company is making its business to define our politics. And as a politician I don’t like that.”
Calling Twitter biased, the Congress leader said, “Our democracy is under attack. We are not allowed to speak in Parliament. The media is controlled. And I thought there was a ray of light where we could put what we thought on Twitter. But obviously, that’s not the case.
Twitter said its rules were enforced judiciously and impartially for everyone and said it took proactive action on several hundred tweets that posted an image that violated our Rules.
It’s obvious now that Twitter is actually not a neutral, objective platform. It’s something that listens to what the government of the day says.”
The Twitter handles of Rahul Gandhi and many other Congress leaders have been locked for sharing photographs that showed the former party president interacting with the family of the 9-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly raped and killed in Delhi last week.
Also Read |‘Modiji, how afraid are you’: Congress hits out after Twitter locks official handle
“As Indians, we have to ask the question: Are we going to allow companies just because they are beholden to the Government of India to define our politics for us? Or are we going to define our politics on our own?” Rahul asked.
Several Congress leaders have changed the name and photo on their Twitter handles to Rahul Gandhi’s in a show of support for the party leader.
Twitter has said its rules are “enforced judiciously and impartially for everyone”, and that it took “proactive action on several hundred tweets that posted an image that violated our Rules”.
Defending its decision, Twitter said it was alerted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights “about specific content on our platform that allegedly revealed the identity of an alleged sexual assault victim’s (and a minor’s) parents”.
