After blocking Rahul Gandhi and several other senior party leaders’ official accounts, Twitter has now blocked the official handle of the Indian National Congress (INC) for sharing a photograph of a nine-year-old rape victim’s family, which allegedly violates the rules of the microblogging site. Twitter has locked accounts of party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken, including Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, party MP Manickam Tagore and Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh Alwar.
The Congress party’s official handle, on Instagram, posted a screenshot of Twitter’s message informing that its account has been locked.
“The official Twitter account of the Congress party has been locked by Twitter India. Modi ji, just how afraid are you? Reminder: The Congress party fought for our nation’s independence, equipped only with truth, non-violence & the will of the people. We won then, we’ll win again,” the caption read.
Social Media Head of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Rohan Gupta, reacting to the development said nothing will deter the party from raising the voice of the people.
He alleged that the microblogging website, acting under the government’s pressure, has blocked nearly 5,000 accounts of party leaders and workers across India. “Twitter is acting under the government pressure.”
Twitter asserting that enforces its rules judiciously and impartially, said it has taken proactive action over several hundred tweets that posted the photographs in violation of its rules.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) alerted Twitter about the specific content on the platform that allegedly revealed the identity of a rape victim’s family. The matter was reviewed in line with site’s rules and concerns expressed as per Indian law, Twitter said.
Since Saturday, Congress has been at loggerheads with Twitter when Mr. Gandhi’s account was temporarily locked. Earlier, it claimed that the account was suspended before clarifying the account was temporarily locked.
Meanwhile, Twitter said the account was never suspended as such action would entail making the account inaccessible across the globe.
Last week, Rahul Gandhi met the victim’s family and assured his support. “Parents’ tears are saying only one thing, their daughter, the daughter of this country, deserves justice. And I am with them on this path to justice,” he tweeted in Hindi and posted the photo of his meeting with the girl’s parents.
Twitter took down the post.
On August 6, Twitter took down the post.
However, Congress leaders have been alleging that it has been done under pressure from the Centre.
