Trouble continues to mount for Twitter India’s MD Manish Maheswari, who is now facing backlash for allowing Jihadist organisations to use the platform to promote terrorism in India.
A Delhi based activist group Kalinga Rights Forum (KRF), has reportedly filed a complaint against Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari and its Public Policy Manager Shagufta Kamran with NCPCR “for conspiring and promotion of terrorism using Kids against India & allowing terror organisations to use Twitter to facilitate recruitment activities for terrorism in Union Territories of J&K and L showing small kids as the face of terror organisations”.
In its complaint to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Kalinga Rights Forum alleged that Twitter India is facilitating terror organisations like Ansar Ghazwat-Ul-Hind supporters to operate against India and carry out recruitment activities by using kids for radicalisation, brainwashing of kids to join terrorism against India by providing them with a platform.
Twitter India providing platform to Islamist terrorist organisations: Delhi based activist group writes in the complaint
Speaking on how Twitter India is helping terrorist ideologies by providing the terror groups with a platform to spread their messages, recruit members, gather intelligence and also engage with their networks, the Delhi based activist group wrote that Twitter India allows terrorist supporters to post videos which show small children holding AK-47s, shooting in the air while other terrorists closely watch and instruct the kid how to shoot the gun.
The activist group shared the link and the archived link of the Tweet posted by AGH HISTOrY, going by Twitter handle @Rainbow35886147, wherein a small child is being taught how to use an AK-47 by terrorists. The activist group claims that AGH HISTOrY is a supporter of the Islamist terrorist organisation Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a Kashmiri wing of Al-Qaeda that is active in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
#pulwama #shopian #kulgam #tral #anantnag #kupwara #Baramulla #lolab #sopore #srinager #jammu #doda
— AGH HISTOrY (@Rainbow35886147) June 27, 2021
Join us on Telegram.. Link👇
https://t.co/BVRvqnfrwS pic.twitter.com/31brAtg4bl
KRF further wrote in its complaint to NCPCR that the Twitter post by the terror organisation itself has a “mention of certain sensitive areas of Union Territory of J&K&L like ” #pulwama #shopian #kulgam #tral #anantnag #kupwara #Baramulla #lolab #sopore #srinager #jammu #doda ” where Pakistan sponsored terrorism is a grave concern”.
The social media giant abetting and supporting anti-India terrorist organisations, says complaint
By allowing such posts on the microblogging site, Twitter India is conspiring against India and abetting and supporting anti-India terrorist organisations to carry out terror attacks against India, read the complaint.
It added that the terrorist supporter, AGH HISTOrY has brazenly mention links to the Telegram groups in its Twitter posts and asked fellow terrorist supporters to join these groups.
The complaint drew NCPCR’s attention towards how the social media giant has, on various previous occasions, explicitly shown support to these terrorist organisations by providing them with a platform to promote their nefarious anti-India agenda. Calling Twitter India “serial offenders”, the activist group shared the link of a report by The Hindu, which reported how the Supreme Court of India had issued a notice to Twitter India for being sympathetic towards terrorist organisations, in February 2021.
It further mentioned that on February 1, the Ministry of Home Affairs had directed Twitter to block 250 handles “promoting fake and provocative content”.
Govt blocks 250 tweets and accounts that claimed PM Modi was planning farmer genocide
It is pertinent to note here that on February 1, 2021, OpIndia had reported that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) on Monday has blocked around 250 Tweets/Twitter accounts that had used the #ModiPlanningFarmerGenocide hashtag and made fake, intimidatory and provocative Tweets on Saturday, 30th January 2021. Sources had then told OpIndia that this has been done at the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs and law enforcement agencies to prevent any escalation of law and order in view of the ongoing farmer agitation. The accounts included that of actor Sushant Singh and columnist with Congress mouthpiece National Herald Sanjukta Basu.
Citing their grave concerns, the Delhi based activist group, Kalinga Rights Forum (KRF) urged NCPCR to order the Delhi police to register FIR against Twitter India MD Manish Maheswari and Twitter India Policy Manager Shagufta Kamran under relevant provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection Act), 2015, Section 17,18,19 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and other IPC sections deemed fit.
Sought Stringent Actions U/s Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection) Act 2015, Various Sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA),1967 & other IPC Sections & IT Acts. pic.twitter.com/KHmtUvREMg
— Kalinga Rights Forum (@KalingaForum) July 5, 2021
It further requested the statutory body to order the Twitter India MD and its Policy Manager and other officials to take down such anti-India, pro-terrorism content within the next 24 hours.
It also asked NCPCR to direct the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of India to take stringent actions against Twitter India for promoting terrorist activities using children as its face.
NCPCR takes cognisance, in the process of sending a notice to Twitter India
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights’ has taken cognisance of the complaint. “Noted”, wrote the statutory body’s chairperson Priyank Kanoongo in response to the complaint filed by the Delhi based activist group.
Noted !! https://t.co/Vh6o3Ch2Kx
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) July 5, 2021
A member of the Delhi based activist group told OpIndia that NCPCR is currently in the process of drafting the notice, which the statutory body would be sending to Twitter India in this regard. OpIndia would update details once it is in possession of the copy of the NCPCR’s notice to Twitter India.
Twitter India a repeat offender
This is, however, not the first time Twitter India has got into trouble. On several occasions prior to this, the social media giant has been penalised for failing to comply with Indian law and refusing to restrict fake news and manipulated media.
On July 3, a complaint was lodged against Twitter India MD in Delhi for allegedly spreading communal hatred. Prior to this, the Uttar Pradesh government had filed a case against Twitter for its failure to take down fake hate crime videos and posts that were made viral on the platform. Furthermore, Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari has also been booked under Section 505 (2) of IPC and Section 74 of IT (Amendment) Act 2008 for showing the wrong map of India on their website.
