Facebook India boss: Bajrang Dal's posts do not violate policies

Facebook's India chief Ajit Mohan has reportedly told a parliamentary panel that there was no need to ban the Bajrang Dal as the social media company's fact-checking team had found no evidence to that effect.

Deposing before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, the Facebook India chief said that the content posted by Bajrang Dal that is violative of its social media policies.

According to media reports, Karti Chidambaram who is also on the parliamentary panel chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor grilled Ajit Mohan about a recent Wall Street Journal report which suggesting that the social media giant was reluctant to ban Bajrang Dal on its platform due to financial reasons and concerns over the safety of its staff.

Facebook's India chief's assertion that Bajrang Dal's content wasn't violative of its social media policies prompted even BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to quiz him and ask why the company did not deny the Wall Street Journal report if that was the case.

Deposing before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, the Facebook India chief said that the content posted by Bajrang Dal that is violative of its social media policies.

According to media reports, Karti Chidambaram who is also on the parliamentary panel chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor grilled Ajit Mohan about a recent Wall Street Journal report which suggesting that the social media giant was reluctant to ban Bajrang Dal on its platform due to financial reasons and concerns over the safety of its staff.

Facebook's India chief's assertion that Bajrang Dal's content wasn't violative of its social media policies prompted even BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to quiz him and ask why the company did not deny the Wall Street Journal report if that was the case.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal had reported that despite being tagged by Facebook's security team as a potentially dangerous organisation that supports violence against minorities across India, the Bajrang Dal had been allowed to thrive on the social network out of political and safety considerations.

The report came months after the same publication reported about an alleged bias in Facebook's policies that reportedly favoured the BJP out of business interests and said former Facebook executive Ankhi Das lobbied in favour of a leader of the ruling party who made anti-Muslim comments.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal had reported that despite being tagged by Facebook's security team as a potentially dangerous organisation that supports violence against minorities across India, the Bajrang Dal had been allowed to thrive on the social network out of political and safety considerations.

The report came months after the same publication reported about an alleged bias in Facebook's policies that reportedly favoured the BJP out of business interests and said former Facebook executive Ankhi Das lobbied in favour of a leader of the ruling party who made anti-Muslim comments.