Rahul Gandhi's stand on social media platforms vindicated: Congress after Twitter says it is for healthy debate

New Delhi, January 27

The Congress on Thursday said its leader Rahul Gandhi’s stand that democracy and social media platforms cannot be suppressed or subjugated by the ruling government and allowed to become a space for mere abuse and trolls stands vindicated.

This came out after Twitter said it is committed to India and healthy debate on its platform.

Gandhi had written to Twitter, accusing it of “unwitting complicity” in curbing free and fair speech in India and expressed serious concern over “suppressing” his Twitter account followers.

Twitter, however, said the account follower numbers are “meaningful and accurate”.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Rahul Gandhi’s stand has been that social media platforms cannot be suppressed, subjugated and denigrated to trolls’ space and there should instead be a healthy debate and discussion on them.

“The plurality, the multi-culturalism, the open debate, the critique of policies and programmes of the government and that the social media patforms should be healthy forum for debates and discussions has been the stand of Rahul Gandhi, which now stands vindicated,” Surjewala told PTI.

In his letter to Twitter CEO Parag Aggarwal, Gandhi had said, “I am writing to you on behalf of more than a billion Indians to not allow Twitter to become a pawn in the destruction of the idea of India.

“I want to bring your attention to what I believe is Twitter’s unwitting complicity in curbing free and fair speech in India,” Gandhi also said in his December 27 letter to Twitter.

Responding to him, Twitter’s vice president, Global Public Policy and Philanthropy, Sinead McSweeney has said, “Twitter is deeply committed to India” and will ensure that public conversation is healthy, which includes diverse voices, diverse points of view, allowing people to be better informed and to participate safely and comfortably.

Twitter also pointed out that it does not arbitrarily censor political content and elevating political debate and open discourse is fundamental to its service and core values.

“We understand increased transparency is at the foundation to promote healthy public conversation on Twitter and to earn trust. We know it is critical that people understand our processes and that we are transparent about what happens as a result.

“We assure you that Twitter, Inc. treats its role as a platform service provider with utmost seriousness and we are deeply committed to India,” McSweeney said.