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NATION AUGUST 13, 2021 | The Indian Eye 10

Congress in the crosshairs of

Twitter India as top leaders get

blocked on website

Twitter takes down Rahul Gandhi’s tweet that revealed the identity of the relatives

of a rape and murder victim in Delhi

Our BurEau

New Delhi

n a major step on Thursday,
after blocking the official
Iaccounts of Congress lead-
er Rahul Gandhi and other se-
nior party leaders, Twitter also
blocked the official handle of
the Indian National Congress
(INC) for violating rules of the
microblogging site.
Congress leader Priyanka
Gandhi Vadra on Thursday
slammed Twitter for suspending
the accounts of several members
including party secretary-gener-
al KC Venugopal, AICC’s Ajay
Maken, Lok Sabha MP Man-
ickam Tagore among others
and accused the social media
platform of “blatantly colluding
with the stifling of democracy by
the BJP government in India”.
On August 6, Twitter had Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
taken down Rahul Gandhi’s
tweet that revealed the identi- er said, “Is Twitter following its also been blocked by Twitter.” Twitter is acting under the gov-
ty of the relatives of a rape and own policy for the suspension of Reacting to the develop- ernment’s pressure. If it is a vio-
murder victim in Delhi. The vic- Congress leaders’ accounts or ment, Social Media Head of lation of Twitter policy, then why
tim was a minor. Congress lead- the Modi government’s? Why All India Congress Committee the photo of the (Victim’s) fam-
ers had been alleging that it has hadn’t it locked the account of (AICC) Rohan Gupta said that ily was there on the Scheduled
been done under pressure from SC commission that had tweet- nothing will deter the party from Caste (SC) commission handle
the Central government. ed similar photos before any of raising the voice of the people. from August 2 to August 5.”
The general secretary of the our leaders did?” Gupta alleged that Twitter while “On August 4, Rahul Gand-
All-India Congress Commit- The party in an official state- acting under the government’s hi meets the family members
tee in charge of Uttar Pradesh ment said: “Twitter India has pressure, has blocked accounts of the victims and raises their
further accused the social me- locked the official handle of the of more than 5,000 party leaders voice, and Twitter immediately
dia platform of following the main opposition party--Con- and workers across India. locks his account and deletes
policies of Prime Minister Na- gress--an unprecedented attack Raising questions on microb- his tweet. These are the double
rendra Modi-led Central gov- on the rising voice of the peo- logging site’s action, Gupta said, standards. If it is a policy vio-
ernment for the suspension of ple. @RahulGandhi @INCIn- “Twitter has blocked its account lation, then the SC commission
Congress leaders’ accounts. In a dia. Several accounts including for violation of rules, Twitter act- tweet should have been delet-
tweet today, the Congress lead- Randeep Singh Surjewala have ing under government pressure. Continued on next page... >>

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