Panel chief Raghav Chadha.The Delhi Assembly’s committee on peace and harmony has summoned Facebook India vice-president Ajit Mohan to appear before it on September 16 in connection with its ongoing proceedings into the social media giant’s alleged role in fanning the February riots in the capital.
“Significantly, in the wake of serious allegations levelled against Facebook India unit, which you have been spearheading since 2019, you, the addressee, as the vice-president and managing director of Facebook India and as a representative of the same, are best suited to deliver insights to the committee with respect to Facebook India’s internal functioning and enforcement of policies. And thus, your special knowledge in this regard would be imperative for the committee while examining the current issue in hand,” says the notice to Mohan.
The committee had earlier held that “prima facie” it appears that Facebook “played a role” in aggravating the riots. It took up the case after receiving “multiple complaints” against the social media giant, days after the Wall Street Journal published a story on the company’s India unit on August 14.
The panel had also said that Facebook should be made a co-accused in the probe into the riots.
Facebook did not respond to queries seeking a comment.