Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out after several Congress accounts were locked by microblogging platform Twitter. “Twitter is biased”, said Gandhi in a video shared on YouTube on his official channel. Gandhi’s Twitter bashing comes a few days after his Twitter account, along with several other prominent Congress Twitter accounts were locked by the platform.
Details
A day after his party alleged that micro-blogging giant Twitter locked its and several of its party workers’ accounts, Rahul Gandhi shared a video statement lashing out on the US based social media company. With 22.1 million Indian users in its bag, Twitter has been part of the controversy for a significant portion of 2020 and 2021.
But it was the first for the Twitter to be on the receiving end of a bashing raised by the political leader of oldest party in India. On August 13, Rahul Gandhi, the ex-President of Indian National Congress took to YouTube and called out Twitter for its alleged biasedness.
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“Twitter interfering in political process”
Gandhi’s video statement came after his account was locked by Twitter for allegedly violating Twitter policies.
“By shutting down my Twitter, they’re interfering in the political process. A company is making its business to define our politics,”
-Gandhi said, in the video.
“This is an attack on the democratic structure of the country. This is not an attack on Rahul Gandhi. This is not simply shutting Rahul Gandhi down. I have 19-20 million followers, you are denying them, the right to an opinion,”
-he further said.
“Taking sides will have repercussions for Twitter”
He also went on to say that Twitter’s alleged biased outlook will have “repercussions”.
“This is not only patently unfair, they’re breaching the idea that Twitter is a neutral platform, and for the investors this is a very dangerous thing because taking sides in the political contest has repercussions for Twitter,”
-Gandhi said.
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“Twitter biased, listens to what government of the day says”
Claiming that the Indian democracy is “under attack”, Gandhi raised the point of not being able to speak in the parliament, the idea that “media is controlled” and further alleged that Twitter is obviously biased.
“… I thought that there was a ray of light where we could put what we thought on Twitter, but obviously that’s not the case.”
“It’s obvious now, that Twitter is not a neutral, objective platform. It is a biased platform and it’s something that listens to what the government of the day says,”
Mr. Gandhi said.
Looking straight into the camera, Gandhi looked to be appealing to his viewers and asked-
“Are we going to allow companies, just because they are beholden to the government of India, to define our politics for us? Or are we going to define our politics on our own?”
Watch Rahul Gandhi’s Attack on Twitter Here
Video Courtesy: Rahul Gandhi
“Satyamev Jayate”: Rahul Gandhi Takes to Instagram
View this post on Instagram
As his account his allegedly locked on Twitter, the Congress MP took to Instagram to spread his word out. “Daro Mat. Satyamev Jayate (don’t fear, truth prevails)”, Gandhi’s caption on his recent Instagram post read. With the caption, Gandhi shared text-based images with things written like “If showing compassion and empathy is a crime. Then I am guilty”. Other text images read, “If fighting for justice for a rape and a murder is crime. Then I am Guilty,” “They can lock us out on any platform. But they can’t lock out our voice for the sake of people”, “The message of compassion, love and justice is universal. 1.3 billion Indians will not be silenced”.
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Congress VS Twitter
Earlier, several Congress-associated accounts changed their Twitter display pictures to Rahul Gandhi’s picture in the protest of Gandhi’s twitter account being locked. Congress also have alleged that its official handle, along with several of its party members, are locked.
