Act against those spreading hatred on Facebook: Shiv Sena

Mumbai, Aug 18: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday sought action "irrespective of party affiliations" against those who spread hatred and talk of disintegrating the country on social media platforms like Facebook.

Companies like Facebook can't ignore someone spreading hatred because the persons belongs to the ruling party, the Sena said and asked the social media platform to observe rules and ethics of business.

The party's comments come a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of spreading fake news using Facebook and WhatsApp to influence the electorate. Gandhi's claim followed a Wall Street Journal report that said Facebook ignored applying its hate speech rules to politicians of the ruling party in India.

"There is no objection to debates on a medium like Facebook. But action should be taken irrespective of party affiliation if hatred is spread and language of disintegrating the country and communities is used," the Sena said in an editorial of its mouthpiece Saamana.

"Companies like Facebook cannot ignore the person spreading hatred just because he/she belongs to the ruling party, it said. The Sena said Indias population forms a big market for Facebook. Politics is being played the most on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, it said.

The world has come closer, but these platforms have also caused a divide between communities, the party said. The Sena said it has now become a "paid profession" to defame others on social media and nobody has been spared. "You (Facebook) have come to our country to do business and will have to observe minimum ethics-rules of business," it said.