Current affairs

'India threatened to block Twitter': How former CEO Dorsey's remarks stirred a political war?

By alagu, 13 June, 2023
Jack Dorsey, Twitter, Narendra Modi, Farm Bills

Twitter founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jack Dorsey has made a splash over a startling revelation about the clampdown from the Modi regime for the micro-blogging site when the farmers' protests were on the peak in India. Dorsey, who was speaking about how Twitter faced a digital strike on its free-speech committment, quoted the current government of India as an example of silencing the dissedents and organizations.

Dorsey was speaking in an interview to the YouTube Channel and podcast 'Breaking Points' during which he was asked about how Twitter dealt with the takedown requests during his stewardship. Responding to the question, Dorsey cited India and said, "India for example is a country that had made many requests of us around the farmers' protests around particular journalists that were critical of the government." 

Dorsey further cited that the clampdown from the Indian government was in a fashion of threatening Twitter that its office will be closed in the country and that raids were unleashed against the employees of Twitter. Dorsey said, "It (requests) manifested in ways such as, 'we will shut Twitter down in India' - which is a very large market for us, 'we will raid the homes of your employees, which they did, we will shut down your offices if you don't follow suit. And this is India, a democratic country." 

Dorsey's response had gone viral on social media and there has been a political clash between the rivals on Twitter, which has now been taken over and led by Elon Musk, the world's richest person. Slamming Dorsey, BJP's loyal leaders queued up to counter Dorsey's claims with Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar terming Dorsey's claims as an 'outright lie.' 

BJP and Congress cadres had a good field day on Twitter over Dorsey's statement as both the rivals lock horns against each other. Taking to Twitter, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "Jack Dorsey, former Twitter CEO, speaks about the challenges he faced from Govts across the world, including India and the United States… It is not surprising, because under Dorsey, Twitter had turned rouge, disregarding laws of the sovereigns they operated in, muzzling freedom of speech (shadow banning ideologically differing voices) and in many cases promoting secessionist voices and those who were working to exacerbate social fault lines, including several Twitter employees (Dorsey himself is guilty of it)." 

Malviya further said, "The truth of the matter is that Twitter was in violation of India laws for an extended period (between 2020-2022). But neither was Twitter ever shut down nor its employees raided or sent to jail, despite Dorsey and his colleagues actively pursuing a policy, which was at loggerheads with Indian regulations. They were also allowing their platform to be used by foreign forces inimical to India’s interest, on several occasions, which posed grave threat to India’s national security and well being. Twitter was obliged to follow India’s laws, if they wanted to operate here, one of their largest markets." 

By blaming the Congress party, Malviya stated, "But why is the Congress and assorted Opposition excited by an invertebrate liars misplaced assertions? What is their compulsion to latch on to anyone who speaks against India? Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and seeks help of foreign powers and his minions in India amplify stray disposed voices to demonise India… Is leaning on foreign money and media the only way Congress hopes to undermine the will of the people and unseat a democratically elected Govt?" 

While the BJP has been slamming Jack Dorsey,  the Congress came in support of him by urging the centre to answer Dorsey's claims. Congress leader and MP, Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Modi Govt forced Twitter to - shut down accounts of Farmers & Farmer's movement, shut down accounts of journalists criticial to Govt, OR Twitter and its employees would be raided. This is what Twitter Co-Founder and Ex CEO Jack Dorsey admits in a TV interview. Will Modi govt answer?". 

Congress party's chairperson of social media and digital platforms Supriya Shrinate took to Twitter and wrote, "Sensational disclosure of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Indian government threatens to ban Twitter and raid during the farmers' movement. The real face of the cowardly dictator and oppressive government will be exposed." 

At a Congress press conference over the issues, Shrinate said, "The topic of this press conferecnce is to reveal how the murder of democracy is being done in the mother of democracy. When farmers were agitating at the Delhi border for more than a year, braving winter, summer and rain, they were being called 'mawali', 'khalistani', 'pakistani', and 'terrorists' and platforms like Twitter were being told that if they show farmers, they will be shut down in India and raided." 

Shrinate further said, "We demand that the government stops suppressing social media, stops suppressing, coaxing large sections of media into submission." It is pertinent to note that the farmers had held a large-scale agitation against the three contentious farm laws enacted by the Modi regime. Thousands of farmers from across the country had protested in Delhi for several months with a demand to repeal the farm laws. The protests were intense that the peasants camped near Delhi and turned it to their temporary home. The farmers had held several rounds of talks and ended their protests in November 2021 after Prime Minister Modi announced the withdrawal of the three farm laws. 

 

You may also like

Comments