Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc have written letters to Metas Mark Zuckerberg and Googles Sundar Pichai protesting against BJPs “vile, communally divisive propaganda” on Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube.Highlighting the concerns, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, sharing a letter on X (previously Twitter) warned that INDIA bloc will not take lightly the blatant partisanship and bias towards one political dispensation that tantamounts to interfering in Indias democracy by private foreign companies.In separate letters, the parties highlighted recent reports in The Washington Post on Meta companies WhatsApp and Facebook “aiding the communal hatred campaign of the ruling BJP” and Googles YouTube “propagating communal hatred and dividing Indian society.”Letter by INDIA parties to @Facebooks Mr. Mark Zuckerberg (@finkd) citing the exhaustive investigations by the @washingtonpost that Meta is culpable of abetting social disharmony and inciting communal hatred in India.[Letter Below] pic.twitter.com/2wnUa5xHbz— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 12, 2023The tweet reads, “INDIA parties also write to @Googles Mr. @sundarpichai exhaustive investigation by the Washington Post that Alphabet and specifically YouTube is culpable of abetting social disharmony and inciting communal hatred in India.”INDIA parties also write to @Googles Mr. @sundarpichai exhaustive investigation by the Washington Post that Alphabet and specifically YouTube is culpable of abetting social disharmony and inciting communal hatred in India. [Letter Below] pic.twitter.com/athxCwukl1— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 12, 2023Heres what the letter reads:The letter from Kharge addressing Googles CEO Sundar Pichai reads, “You may be aware of the recent expose by the Washington Post newspaper titled “He live-streamed his attacks on Indian Muslims. YouTube gave him an award” about the role of YouTube in propagating communal hatred and dividing Indian society. Specifically, the article cites details of how this vile, communally divisive propaganda is carried out using YouTube by BJP members and supporters.”“It is very clear from this exhaustive investigation by the Washington Post that Alphabet and specifically YouTube is culpable of abetting social disharmony and inciting communal hatred in India. Further, we have data that shows algorithmic moderation and suppression of Opposition leaders content on your platform while also promoting ruling party content,” it further reads.Adding further, “Such blatant partisanship and bias towards one political formation by a private foreigncompany is tantamount to interfering in Indias democracy, one that we in the INDIA alliance cannot but take it seriously.”Making a plea further, the letter reads, “In light of the upcoming national elections in 2024, it is our earnest and urgent plea to you to consider these facts seriously and ensure immediately that Alphabets operations in India remain neutral and are not used wittingly or unwittingly to cause social unrest or distort Indias much cherished democratic ideals.”The letter from Congress President has been sent on the behalf of 14 opposition leaders.
