Congress demands JPC probe into Facebook's alleged ties with BJP

New Delhi: Accusing the BJP and the RSS of controlling Facebook and WhatsApp in India, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the two had attacked democracy in the country and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into alleged violations by the social media platform and its messaging service.

Citing a report published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday, the party said employees of Facebook and WhatsApp, responsible for overseeing Indian content, were working to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, to protect the company's "commercial interests".

The Indian government and Facebook have not officially responded over the allegations.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "BJP and RSS control Facebook and WhatsApp in India. They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate.Finally, the American media has come out with the truth about Facebook."

He tagged a Wall Street Journal report on the issue.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: "Facebook - WhatsApp sinister connection to BJP government exposed! Is Facebook being used to spread 'Fake News' and 'Hate Material'? What is the connect of Facebook-India leaders to BJP?

Facebook owned WhatsApp, which counts India as its biggest market with 400 million users, is waiting for regulatory clearances to launch a payment platform.

It has invested $5.7 billion in Reliance Industries' digital unit, with the aim of serving tens of millions of small shops across India.

"Congress party demands the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to probe the relations of Facebook and WhatsApp employees with the ruling party," Ajay Maken, spokesman of the Congress party said in a press briefing.

Maken also urged the company to launch an internal enquiry into its Indian oversight team.

"This is an issue of Facebook's global credibility," he said.

Congress Data Department Chairman Praveen Chakravorty said: "I met the WhatsApp CEO and raised the issue in the past after the Congress Working Committee took it up, and the CEO heard me politely but did not act."

The Congress said it had raised the issue with the Facebook team in India. "We met the team of Ankhi Das on May 15 and complained about the manipulative content; the team heard us but did nothing," claimed Rohan Gupta, Congress Social Media head. Das is the Public Policy Director, Facebook-India, South and Central Asia.

"What gave Facebook the guts and the gumption to intrude, interfere, and intervene in the world's largest democratic exercise? First and foremost, we must remember that this is not just about Facebook. Facebook also owns WhatsApp. Facebook and WhatsApp control information, news, and communication for millions of Indians. And the BJP controls Facebook and WhatsApp in India," said Chakravorty.

Asked if the Congress lost past elections due to this "manipulation", the Congress leaders said that it is not only elections but its effect on the nation as a whole. The party asserted that it was like attacking the country's soul by propagating one-sided content which is "mostly of hatred".

"Yesterday was a unique day. We celebrated our Independence Day and freedom from the British. But later in the day, a reputed American newspaper told us how we Indians are not truly free yet. How hundreds of millions of Indians are controlled, divided, and manipulated through fake news and hate speech propagated by the ruling party through the US social media giant, Facebook," the Congress added.

The party leaders quoted sentences from the Wall Street Journal story to stress their points.

The United States' Congress has summoned Facebook CEO Marc Zuckerberg and investigated its role in election manipulation in the past. The UK too has issued warnings to Facebook. Facebook was accused of similar interference in Brazil.

(With inputs from IANS and Reuters)