New Delhi: BJP leader Vinit Goenka, a former co-convener of the party’s IT cell, Sunday accused Twitter of engaging in anti-India activity such as promoting advertisements of pro-Khalistani groups such as Sikhs For Justice, an organisation banned by India and allegedly backed by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.
Goenka, a known detractor of Twitter, has been holding a series of virtual talks slamming the social media platform.
The BJP leader had earlier this year filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a “law that can initiate action against Twitter for willfully abetting and promoting anti-India tweets”.
The Sunday event, broadcast live on Facebook, was titled, “Anti India Activity of Twitter an Interaction with Lt Gen Shekatkar (retd)”. It is the latest in Goenka’s series of online events against Twitter.
The BJP leader had in an email to ThePrint on 3 June accused Twitter of accepting “blood money”.
The “blood money” is a running theme in Goenka’s campaign against Twitter. He had made similar allegations in his previous online event on 31 May, titled “Twitter_Anti_India”.
ThePrint has approached Twitter for a comment but is yet to receive a response. This report will be updated if a reply is received.
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‘Twitter also interfering in elections’
The event also saw the participation of Lt Gen. D.B. Shekatkar (retd) who alleged that Twitter was also interfering in elections.
“Twitter is playing merry hell. Twitter is very actively involved in the outcome of the elections in the United States of America,” he said.
He added that the aim of the media, including Twitter, was to impact people either positively or negatively through misinformation and false information.
“I am fully aware of the fact of how terrorist organisations are using it (media and Twitter)… Terrorism has become a big business-making machine,” he said.
Other high-profile individuals who spoke at the event included former deputy national security adviser S.D. Pradhan.
“I have been working with Vinit Goenka and found that Twitter was engaging in anti-India activities. I felt very bad,” Pradhan said. “I request all of you to do your best and encourage everyone to ensure that we are not influenced by such operations of our adversaries.”
Cases against Twitter
At the 31 May event, Goenka had urged people to file cases against Twitter.
Since then, a number of cases have been filed against the social media platform. Two of those who filed the police cases attended Goenka’s Sunday event.
“I have been with this anti-India Twitter campaign and I have filed a police complaint; so I’m really looking forward to doing something,” said Kastury Hazarika, a Master’s student from Guwahati. “Because this is for our country and we cannot accept anything going wrong against our country.”
Basant Nayyar, a digital marketeer based in Delhi, said he too has filed a complaint against the platform. “Twitter was engaging in anti-India activities; It had to be taken to task for it,” he said.
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