The government has issued a notice to Twitter for showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir instead of the Union Territory of Ladakh, according to IT ministry sources.
The ministry, in its notice, has directed Twitter to explain within five working days why legal action should not be initiated against the micro-blogging platform and its representatives for disrespecting the territorial integrity of India by showing an incorrect map.
The notice was issued to Twitter by the Ministry of Electronics and IT on November 9, the sources said.
In the notice sent to the global vice president of Twitter, the ministry asserted that showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir is a deliberate attempt by the micro-blogging platform to undermine the will of sovereign Parliament of India which has declared Ladakh as a Union Territory with its headquarter in Leh.
Twitter had earlier shown Leh as part of China, following which the IT secretary had written a stern letter to the company's CEO Jack Dorsey.
In response, Twitter had replaced China with Jammu and Kashmir. However, Twitter has not yet corrected the map to show Leh as part of the Union Territory of Ladakh. It is still showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir, which is against the official position of the Government of India.
Last month, Twitter came under heavy criticism and faced backlash from social media users after its geotagging feature displayed "Jammu & Kashmir, People's Republic of China" in a live broadcast from Leh's Hall of Fame, a war memorial for fallen soldiers in Ladakh.
This had triggered angry responses from netizens who demanded that stringent action be initiated against the micro-blogging platform.
Meanwhile, an industry watcher said that in case Twitter does not fall in line even after the latest notice, possible options could include action initiated under Section 69A of the IT Act for banning access to Twitter in India.
Also, under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, the government can lodge an FIR, which has punishment of up to 6 months of imprisonment.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU