'If people want to do business in India, they must follow the rule of the land'

BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan has said if people want to do business in the country, they have to follow the law of land. Speaking with reference to US-based Twitter’s friction with the government on accusations of spreading misinformation and appointment of country-based grievances officers, Paswan said after a long-drawn battle, the social media company was forced to comply and the credit goes to the government of India.           

“We never had any issues with Twitter doing business in India. We believe in ease of doing business and earning revenue. But they must empower users. Now, whether it is Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook, if someone wants to file a complaint, will they have go to their office in the United States? We only asked Twitter to appoint a compliance/grievances officer who is locally stationed in India. There was a difference of opinion. Now after a long battle, they have complied. Kudos and credit for this goes to the government of India for making them come to this agreement. If people want to do business in the country, they must follow the rule of the land,” said Pawan.

Paswan was in a conversation with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now, during the webcast of Visionary Talk series held by the public policy and governance analysis platform.

On Twitter blocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s account, he said, “Same people earlier enjoyed media- manipulated content, now they are crying hoarse over it.”

Responding to the statement that when the government was against Twitter, Congress was with Twitter, and now that Twitter is against them, they are opposing Twitter, Paswan said, “Government was never against Twitter. Government was willing to have a conversation with them, which might appear confrontational to them, but the conversation was positive and engaging. Yes they (Twitter) did not agree to some of our observations at the outset and it was a long- drawn struggle keeping in mind interest of the users that were based in India.”

He alleged first Congress breaks the law of the land by violating Section 23 of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and Section 74 of POCSO Act, 2012 by making identity of the victim public and then stubbornly does not delete it. “This shows their arrogance and integrity. They think they are above law of land,” he said.

On being asked to respond to allegations by the opposition that ‘BJP has brought 90% of the media’, Paswan said is not true and those who are saying this are misleading. “Leave aside media, the ecosystem in the country which was setting the narrative for the country for the last 40-50 years is active even today. This is not a BJP or Congress issue, but a separate ecosystem is running its own agenda in the country.”

Explaining it further, he said the narrative is set somewhere else. “If you see The New York Times, The Washington Times, you will find the same narrative. This narrative starts form there and slowly and gradually is presented as truth. Media is an important institution. Media has always played a prominent role. Even during Emergency, it played an important role. It is the fourth pillar of democracy,’’ he said.  

On being asked if there is a possibility of Chirag Pawan and Tejaswi Yadav coming together in Bihar elections, Paswan, who an assistant professor at Patna University, said, “Entitlement will not work now. Just being someone’s son or daughter will not work. People on ground are now asking questions. Politics has now moved beyond family and dynasty politics, which is good.”