Telangana HC to Twitter: Explain silence over Islamophobia on platform

HYDERABAD: Telangana high court on Friday made it clear that Twitter Inc must respond to the notices being issued by it and explain as to why it had remained silent when hate-mongers were using its space to spread hatred against Islam. Asserting that mere deletion of hate tweets would not suffice, the court said attributing the spread of coronavirus to the religion was unfair.
A bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a public interest litigation plea filed by advocate Khaja Aijazuddin, who brought to the notice of the court various hashtags such as #Islamiccoronavirusjihad, #Coronajihad, #Tablighijamat, #Nizamuddinidiots, #Tablighi Jamat Virus’, etc, purposefully created to spread hatred against Islam and Muslims.
The bench had earlier issued notices to Twitter but there was no response. The court had also issued notices to the Union cabinet secretary along with the Union ministry of home affairs in the last hearing.
Observing that they also did not file replies till now, the judges asked assistant solicitor general N Rajeswara Rao to ensure that they file their counters by the next hearing.
Aijazuddin said the Hyderabad police swung into action and issued notices to Twitter. “They informed the social networking firm of the penal consequences that would follow. Twitter then responded and deleted the defamatory hashtags,” he said.
Islamophobic tweets: Next hearing on August 20
He further said, “But this is not sufficient. Twitter must explain as to why it allowed its space to be misused this way which has the potential to disturb communal harmony in the society.” At this point, the judges said they would pass an exparte order if the US-based company still chooses to remain silent.
Following a request from the petitioner to allow him to send a notice to Twitter office in San Francisco through FedEx courier, the judges allowed him to issue a personal notice to the company. Appreciating the effort of the petitioner in bringing the issue to the notice of the court, Justice Vijaysen told him in a lighter vein, “Now, serve it a notice. Tweet now asking Twitter to respond.”
The case will come up for hearing again on August 20.