MPs unite against Facebook over ‘political bias’, seek action against execs

The meeting was attended by 13 MPs of the BJP and four from opposition parties

Facebook was subject to tough questioning by Members of Parliament at a meeting of the Standing Committee attached to the Ministry of Information and Technology, on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by 13 MPs of the BJP and four from Opposition parties. Almost all members criticised the US-based social media giant for political bias.

The BJP MPs wanted to know why 2.6 million pages of BJP-related posts were taken down, erased, or tampered with by the company. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey who has aggressively questioned the practices at Facebook, lashed out at the organisation, along with Anil Agarwal (BJP), Sanjay Seth (BJP) and Mahua Moitra (Trinamool Congress).

As proceedings of Parliamentary committees are covered by Parliamentary privilege, very little information was forthcoming from Facebook on how the organisation defended itself. Those who attended the meeting on its behalf were Ajit Mohan, vice-president of the company, and S Purohit, the legal advisor. Facebook said its deposition would be submitted in writing to the MPs.

Unconfirmed reports suggest some MPs also voiced the demand that executives in Facebook India should be stripped of their positions. Another meeting, for which Facebook will be summoned, is on the cards.Two activists of net neutrality — journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, also the author of The Real Face of Facebook in India, and Nikhil Pahwa, founder of digital news portal Medianama — also addressed the Standing Committee.

Sunni Waqf Board-governed trust invites donations for mosque in Ayodhya

The mosque trust has released bank details for donations from a large cross-section of people for constructing a mosque, on the five-acre land in the Dhannipur village in lieu of the Babri mosque

The mosque trust constituted by the Sunni Waqf Board, has released bank details for donations from a large cross-section of people, including non-Muslims for constructing a mosque, hospital, community kitchen and library on the five-acre land in the Dhannipur village in lieu of the Babri mosque. The trust, Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation, has opened two current accounts in two leading private sector banks at branches in Hewett Road and Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar.

Trust secretary, Athar Hussain, said, “We will accept donations from all communities to make the Dhannipur complex a unique example of communal harmony and a centre of healing, teaching and preaching.” He said. “We have decided to create a website and portal of the Trust with a gateway to receive donations as we are receiving numerous calls from those willing to donate,” Funds for the Dhannipur complex will be raised from donations from all communities, he said.

“We expect financial aid from the government too. In fact, a Member of Parliament from Assam, Abdul Khalique, has offered to donate and we are receiving messages from the Muslims and Hindus, who are eager to provide funds for the mosque and other facilities,” he added. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust that is overseeing Ram temple construction, has already set up bank accounts for donations for the temple construction. The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation was formed with nine members and six more would be made trust members soon. The trust will supervise the construction of the mosque and the complex in Ayodhya..Read More

Sunanda Pushkar demise: Special assigned court to hear the case today

The Delhi Police has looked for that Tharoor be summoned as a denounced, guaranteeing there was adequate proof against him

An exceptional court, assigned to attempt officials with respect to Sunanda Pushkar passing case, will on Monday consider Delhi Police's charge sheet against Congress MP and Pushkar's better half Shashi Tharoor.

The police has looked for that Tharoor be summoned as a denounced, guaranteeing there was adequate proof against him.

Prior on May 24, a Delhi Court, which was hearing the Sunanda Pushkar case, exchanged the issue to the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Samar Vishal.

"Since he (Tharoor) is a sitting Member of Parliament, the issue is being sent to the unique assigned court for legislators, that is ACMM Samar Vishal. Matter will be taken up on May 28," the court said.

The Delhi Police had on May 14 documented a charge sheet in the court, in which they named Tharoor as a denounced, under areas 306 (Abetment of suicide) and 498A (Husband or relative of spouse of a lady subjecting her to pitilessness) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Tharoor, be that as it may, expelled the charge sheet recorded by Delhi Police as "over the top".

Sunanda was discovered dead under puzzling conditions in a suite of a five-star lodging in Delhi the evening of January 17, 2014.