Facebook India head says people in key positions are anti-BJP: Sources

Days after Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote to social media giant Facebook alleging bias against the ruling party BJP and the right-wing in general, Facebook India Head Ajit Mohan was on Wednesday admitted in front of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology that people at key positions in Facebook India office are anti-BJP, according to sources.

Sources close to Zee News have said that the meeting was attended by 11 members of the BJP-led ruling coalition, and 6 opposition members. The ruling coalition clearly overshadowed the opposition in the parliamentary committee.

However, the sources claim that discussions with Facebook representatives could not be finished on Wednesday, and therefore members of the committee suggested a meeting again on September 10. But, a consensus could not be reached as some members opposed it on the grounds that the committee was to be reorganized.

The committee called the Facebook representatives to hear their opinion on the "subject of safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space."

The controversy came to the fore after Tharoor wanted to know about Facebook's stand about a report published in the Wall Street Journal claiming that the social media platform failed to apply its hate-speech rules to some BJP politicians. Therefore, he wanted the Facebook representatives to testify before a parliamentary committee.

Tharoor's action has irked certain BJP leaders. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey sought Tharoor's removal as chairman of the committee, adding that he was using the committee to further his and his party's political agenda.