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 the 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 business and earning revenue. But they must empower users. Now weather 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 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 Paswan.

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

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

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

He said first the Congress leader 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 deleting it. “This shows their arrogance and [lack of] integrity... they think they are above law of land.”

Asked to respond to allegations by the opposition that the BJP has brought 90% of the media, Paswan said that is not true and those who are saying this are misleading. Leaving aside the media, he said in the last 40-50 years you will see that the ecosystem in the country which was setting the narrative for the country 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.   

Asked if there is a possibility of Chirag Pawan and Tejaswi Yadav coming together in the Bihar elections, Paswan who an assistant professor in Patna University said entitlement will not work now. “If you are someone’s son or daughter it is not going to work... people on ground are asking questions. Politics has now moved beyond family and dynasty politics which is good.”