Representatives of micro-blogging platform Twitter on Wednesday appeared before the joint committee of parliament on Data Protection Bill, 2019 and were questioned by the members for showing Ladakh as part of China, even as the panel sought a written explanation from them on the issue, news agency PTI reported.
On October 22, the central government had conveyed its strong disapproval to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey over , asserting that any attempt by the micro-blogging platform to disrespect the country’s sovereignty and integrity was “totally unacceptable”.
The panel, headed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, contended unanimously that Twitter’s explanation of showing Ladakh as part of China was “inadequate”.
“Showing Ladakh as part of China is against the sovereignty of India and amounts to criminal offence with imprisonment of 7 years,” PTI quoted Lekhi as saying.
In a letter, IT Secretary Ajay Sawhney had warned Twitter that such attempts not only bring disrepute to the platform but also raise questions about its neutrality and fairness as an intermediary.
In his letter, Sawhney had asked Twitter to respect the sensitivities of Indian citizens, and has also made it clear that any attempt by Twitter to disrespect sovereignty and integrity of India, which is also reflected by the maps, is totally unacceptable and unlawful. ( Indian Express )
