Rahul Gandhi had lambasted Twitter for interfering in India’s political processes
A week after temporarily suspending Indian National Congress (INC) leader Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter handle, the social media major today went ahead and restored the account. Gandhi’s Twitter account was temporarily suspended after the party leader had tweeted pictures of the family of a nine-year-old rape and murder victim from Northwest Delhi.
Apart from Rahul Gandhi’s account, other Congress handles have also been unlocked. NDTV quoted Rohan Gupta, the Congress in charge of social media accounts, saying that all Congress accounts have been unlocked, but Twitter gave no reason for the unlocking.
With a proclamation “Satyameva Jayate” (or truth always prevails), the party has also made it known on social media that Twitter had followed the due diligence process of reviewing an appeal to protect the safety and privacy of the individuals affected. Rahul Gandhi’s appeal and formal consent to use the image in question were considered. Following this, the suspension was lifted.
The report also quoted a Twitter spokesperson that the particular tweet was withheld in India but restored Gandhi’s Twitter account access. Twitter’s ‘Country Withheld Policy’ deems it that it might be essential to “withhold access to certain content following valid legal provisions under the Indian law(s).” It added that withholding certain content is limited to specific jurisdictions where it could be seen as unlawful. However, it could be available elsewhere, the report said.
There had been quite an uproar among Congress workers and leaders across the country when Twitter resorted to suspend Rahul Gandhi’s account and lock various leaders’ tweet hands. Gandhi even went to the extent of charging Twitter with interfering in the national political process. He had termed the Twitter action as an attack on the country’s democratic structure.
Gandhi had stated that his followers numbering millions, had been unfairly denied the right to an opinion when Twitter went ahead and suspended his account. He alleged that the social media giant was doing what the government at the Centre was asking them to do.