Facebook India favouring BJP, RSS? IT Minister slams Rahul Gandhi’s allegations

New Delhi, Aug 16: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday hit back at Rahul Gandhi after the congress leader claimed that the saffron party and the RSS control of Facebook and Whatsapp in India.

"Losers who cannot influence people even in their own party keep cribbing that the entire world is controlled by BJP and RSS. You were caught red-handed in alliance with Cambridge Analytica and Facebook to weaponise data before the elections and now have the gall to question us?" Prasad wrote on the micro-blogging site.

Earlier, Rahul had alleged that the Centre spread fake news and hatred in India through social media platforms Facebook and Whatsapp.

"BJP & RSS control Facebook & Whatsapp in India. They spread fake news and hatred through it and use it to influence the electorate. Finally, the American media has come out with the truth about Facebook," Rahul Gandhi tweeted citing a media report.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also raised the issue. "The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology would certainly wish to hear from @Facebook about these reports & what they propose to do about hate-speech in India," his tweet read.

A report by the Wall Street Journal claimed that the social media company had ignored alleged hate speeches by members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Journal also reported that an executive of the social media giant had said punishing violations by BJP workers "would damage the company's business prospects in the country". Quoting current and former employees, the article said Facebook has a "broader pattern of favouritism" towards the BJP.