BJP MLA T. Raja Banned by Facebook
Facebook, on Thursday, banned BJP MLA T. Raja on all its platforms like Instagram, after facing severe criticism from the Opposition over its alleged bias towards BJP over handling of hate speech content. The Telangana leader has been banned for violating Facebook’s policy on content promoting violence and hate.
Facebook spokesperson in an emailed statement said, “We have banned Raja Singh from Facebook for violating our policy prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a presence on our platform. The process for evaluating potential violators is extensive and it is what led us to remove his account.”
In a video message, Raja Singh has claimed that he did not have a Facebook account since April 2019 and asked if Facebook was working under the pressure of Congress. The MLA alleged that Rahul Gandhi has made false statements against BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his social media and demanded that accounts of Congress and AIMIM should also be deleted from Facebook.
T.Raja is known for hate mongering inflammatory speeches and there are around 60 cases against him. He is known to have made comments which had the potential of inciting violence. Some of these statements made by him were, “Old Hyderabad is mini Pakistan”, “Hindus in Bengal should respond like 2002 Gujarat”, “Those who don’t sing Vande Mataram will be sent to Pakistan”, and “Pinarayi is a murderer of Hindus” among others.
This ban comes after a report was published in the Wall Street Journal last month which had accused Facebook of not applying hate speech rules to groups linked with BJP. The report has created a political storm in the country.