Parliamentary panel on IT summons Facebook on September 2

Facebook India officials have been summoned by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on September 2, amid a raging row between panel chairman Shashi Tharoor and BJP MPs.

The Facebook officials have been asked to present their views on the issue of safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms. On the same day, the panel will also hear officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on the same subject.

The summoning of the social media giant's officials comes as Tharoor is locked in a bitter battle with BJP MPs in the panel about summoning Facebook.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Thursday issued a notice about the meetings of the panel on September 1 and 2.

On September 1, the panel will hear from officials of Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Communications and Bihar and Delhi governments on the suspension of telecom services, internet and its impact. It will also hear the representatives Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, News Broadcasters Association and Press Council of India and Prasar Bharti on 'Ethical Standards in Media Coverage'

After the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report said that the social media giant's India office did not act against the hate posts of a BJP and three other Hindutva supporters after its policy head Ankhi Das took a stand that any action against them would have a detrimental impact on its business here, both Congress and BJP have been attacking each other.

Tharoor's announcement on Twitter that Facebook India officials would be summoned attracted opposition from BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Rajyavardhan Rathore, who said the senior Congress MP unilaterally decided on this and without consulting the panel.

Dubey accused Tharoor of taking up Rahul Gandhi's agenda following which the Congress MP alleged that his BJP counterpart has brought disrepute to the committee. Both also filed privilege notices against each other while Dubey shot off a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking the removal of Tharoor as panel chairman.