Social media giant Facebook, which is already to take action on right-wing users on even flimsy grounds, is yet to remove a post threatening physical violence. While the equally leftist Twitter has deleted a post by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan calling for beheading a Hindu priest over allegations of ‘blasphemy’, Facebook is yet to do so.
On 3rd April, Amanatullah Khan had posted a message on Twitter and Facebook, where he had said that Dasna Devi Temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati should be punished for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad by slitting his neck and tongue.
“We can not tolerate such impertinence for our beloved Prophet Muhammad. This hateful insect should be awarded the most severe punishment by slitting his tongue and neck. But the law of the land does not permit us to do this, we have faith in the Indian constitution, and I want Delhi Police to take note of this,” Amanatullah Khan had posted on social media along with a video of Narsinghanand Saraswati where he had criticised the Islamic prophet.
Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati was speaking at an event held at the Press Club of India where he had urged Hindus to be fearless in highlighting the characteristics of Prophet Muhammad.
“If Islam’s reality, for which Maulana says, ‘If you speak about Muhammad, we will behead you’, Hindus should get rid of this fear. We are Hindus. If we can about the characteristics of Lord Ram, and other Hindu deities, then Muhammad is nothing for us. Why could not we speak about Muhammad and speak truth?” Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati had exclaimed.
Proving his claims right, the AAP MLA had called for beheading him for his comments on Islam. Following his comments, Delhi police had filed an FIR against him for ‘hurting religious sentiments’, taking suo motu cognizance. Amanatullah Khan also had lodged a complaint against him.
Subsequently on 4th April, Delhi Police had filed an FIR against Amanatullah Khan also for threatening to behead Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati.
But his violent message remained on social media, and large number of users asked Twitter and Facebook to take down the post, reminding them that it violates their own policy. Subsequently, Twitter had removed the post on 4th April, but shockingly, the post is still available on Facebook. It seems that Facebook does not consider threatening behead someone, threatening to cut off the tongue is not violent enough to violate its policies.
According to Facebook community standards on violence and incitement, statements of intent to commit high-severity violence are not allowed. But even after a large number of users have reported the post by Amanatullah Khan, the social, media giant is yet to remove it from the platform.
