Twitter Locks Congress Account: India Opposition Party Affected

Twitter Locks Indian National Congress Account

The official Twitter account of the Indian National Congress, the primary opposition party in India, has been locked due to violations of the platform’s policies.

The Congress party addressed the situation on Facebook on Thursday, expressing defiance.

Their statement read: “We were not intimidated by imprisonment in the past, so the suspension of our Twitter account does not frighten us. We are Congress, representing the voice of the people, and we will continue our struggle. We are prepared to repeatedly commit the ‘crime’ of demanding justice for victims of sexual assault. Jai Hind… Satyamev Jayate.”

Allegations of Political Influence

Rohan Gupta, who leads social media operations for the Congress party, asserted that Twitter’s action was influenced by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Gupta also claimed that numerous profiles belonging to senior Congress leaders were simultaneously suspended.

A Twitter spokesperson responded by stating that the platform’s rules are applied consistently and without bias to all users.

“We have proactively addressed hundreds of Tweets containing images that breached our guidelines, and will continue to do so utilizing our available enforcement measures.” the spokesperson explained. “Certain private information presents greater risks, and our priority is always to safeguard individual privacy and security. We urge all users to review the Twitter Rules and report any potential violations.”

Criticism and Recent Account Suspension

The account locking has sparked renewed criticism directed towards the American social media company.

Derek O’ Brien, representing the All India Trinamool Congress party, voiced strong condemnation, tweeting: “We strongly condemn the blocking of the accounts of the Indian National Congress and senior leaders of the Congress party.”

Last week, the account of Rahul Gandhi, former president of the Indian National Congress, was suspended after he shared images featuring the family of a nine-year-old alleged rape and murder victim.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a statutory Indian body, contacted Twitter, citing violations of the minor victim’s privacy by Gandhi’s posts.

Ongoing Challenges in India

This incident represents the latest in a series of challenges for Twitter within the Indian market, a significant international territory for the company.

Following a period of public disagreement with the Indian government, Twitter has now complied with the nation’s new IT law, which took effect in May, as confirmed by a lawyer representing New Delhi in court on Tuesday.

Previously, Twitter had requested additional time to adhere to the new regulations, which require all substantial social media platforms – those exceeding 5 million users – to designate representatives within India to address local concerns.

Escalation and Compliance

This compliance is anticipated to ease tensions between Twitter and the Indian government.

In May, Twitter labeled a tweet from Sambit Patra, a spokesperson for the BJP, as “manipulated media.”

Subsequently, a specialized Delhi police unit, focused on terrorism and related crimes, conducted unannounced visits to Twitter’s offices in India to inquire about the reasoning behind the “manipulated media” designation.

At that time, Twitter expressed concern regarding the safety of its employees in India and the potential impact on freedom of expression.

This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided…