Parliamentary panel seeks explanation from Twitter for locking Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shashi Tharoor accounts

Photo used for representational purpose

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on Tuesday asked for an explanation from microblogging site Twitter over denying access to the accounts of Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and committee head Shashi Tharoor.

Sources said that the parliamentary committee has written to Twitter and asked to explain the provision under which accounts of Prasad and Tharoor were locked. The Committee has asked Twitter to file its reply within two days.

Last week, Prasad and Tharoor were denied access to their Twitter accounts for some time which was later restored.

"Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today. Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA and subsequently they allowed me to access the account," Prasad has tweeted after restoration of account.

Prasad had also said, "No matter what any platform does they will have to abide by the new IT rules fully and there shall be no compromise on that."

Quoting Prasad's tweet, Tharoor said, "Raviji, the same thing just happened to me. Clearly DMCA is getting hyperactive. This tweet has been deleted by Twitter because its video includes the copyrighted Boney M song 'Rasputin'. After process, a/c unlocked."

Tharoor further stated: "As Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I can state that we will be seeking an explanation from Twitter India for the locking of Ravi Shankar Prasad's and my accounts and the rules and procedures they follow while operating in India."

On Tuesday, Facebook India and Google India representatives appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT to explain their views on safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social and online news media platforms.

Sources said that the Committee has directed Facebook and Google to follow the new IT rules and laws of the land.

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