Cong asks Facebook to probe India team, BJP hits back in hate speech row

The Congress on Tuesday asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to set up a high-level inquiry into his India leadership team and their operations against the background of the Wall Street Journal report that the social media network acted to the political advantage of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, in a letter, asked the investigation be submitted to the company’s board “within a reasonable period of time such as one/two months” and made public.

IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad, at a press briefing, was dismissive about the charge that Facebook acted to protect the interests of the BJP. He said BJP was a victim, as Facebook had taken down 700 pages about the party around the 2019 general elections.