Govt warns Twitter over error in map

We understand and respect the sensitivities around it. Teams have worked swiftly to investigate and resolve the issue

TWITTER SPOKESPERSON

India has conveyed its disapproval to Twitter for reportedly showing Jammu and Kashmir as part of China in its location tag in a live broadcast. Amid the ongoing standoff with China, India warned Twitter that any attempt by the social media giant to “disrespect sovereignty and integrity of India, which is also reflected by the maps, is totally unacceptable and also unlawful”.

Such attempts not only bring disrepute to twitter but also raises question on its neutrality, fairness, Ajay Sawhney, secretary of the electronics and IT department wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

The incident came to the fore on Sunday when author and national security analyst Nitin Gokhale started live broadcast on Twitter from the Hall of Fame — a war memorial in Leh. The location tag displayed in the video was marked ‘Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Republic of China.’

Twitter acknowledged the issue and blamed technical snag for it. “We became aware of this technical issue on Sunday, and understand and respect the sensitivities around it. Teams have worked swiftly to investigate and resolve the concerned geotag issue. Responding to the letter, Twitter spokesperson said Twitter remains committed to working with the government of India. “We respect the sensitivities involved and have duly acknowledged the letter,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda said on Thursday that the NDA government has spared no effort in securing the country’s boundaries and its focus on building border roads has shaken China.

Laying the foundation stone of the BJP’s six offices in Himachal Pradesh, virtually from Delhi, he said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government has built 4,700-km four-lane all-weather roads on the border from the Galwan Valley in Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh in the last six years.

Similarly, double-lane bridges of total length 14.7 km have also been constructed on the border for big tanks to pass. This is empowered India and shaken China, Nadda said. The BJP chief said earlier there were small bridges and vehicular traffic had to be halted whenever army trucks had to cross those.

Referring to the strategically important Atal Tunnel in Rohtang which was inaugurated by the prime minister a few days back, Nadda said he wanted to come to Himachal Pradesh during its opening, but could not as the process for selection of candidates for Bihar polls was on.