Facebook controversy gains political heat, to come under parliamentary panel’s scrutiny

The controversy over the alleged influence of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Facebook after a news report by US based Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has increased as the main opposition party, Congress, has now launched attack on the union government blaming it was making efforts to control social media. It gained further political heat on Sunday with the battle reaching standing committee on information technology which is likely to take it up for scrutiny.

One of the first attack on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on the basis of the story was former Congress president and political rival Rahul Gandhi who made allegations against the BJP along with its ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of influencing electorate through its control on social media platforms.

“BJP & RSS control Facebook and Whatsapp in India. They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate. Finally, the American media has come out with the truth about Facebook,” tweeted Gandhi on Sunday.