Home ministry filed complaint with X against Congress handle?

Several Congress leaders, along with the party's official social media handle, have reportedly received notices from X (formerly Twitter) for sharing a video clip of home minister Amit Shah’s speech in Parliament.

The video, containing Shah’s remarks during a parliamentary debate marking 75 years of the Indian Constitution, has ignited a heated debate in Parliament and across civil society both.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate disclosed that the notices were issued in response to directives from the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre of the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

‘Last evening, many of us, including the Congress party’s official handle, received emails from X. These emails stated that the MHA and IT Department had asked X to take down the video. They allege we violated certain laws, but I fail to understand which laws have been breached,’ Shrinate said.

The Congress leader said the notices claim that the content violates Indian law and must be removed. While issuing the notice, X emphasised its commitment to upholding freedom of speech but noted the legal implications surrounding the shared video.

However, neither the MHA nor X have officially commented on the matter. 

"I want to ask Amit Shah, If you have nothing to hide, why do you want this video to be taken down because this video is neither forged, nor clipped, nor edited," asked the Congress.

The controversy stems from Shah’s comments during the parliamentary debate across both houses to commemorate 75 years of the Constitution.

Referring to B.R. Ambedkar, Shah remarked, “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai — Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata [It has become a fashion to invoke Ambedkar repeatedly. If they had taken God’s name this many times, they would have secured a place in heaven for seven births/generations].”

On Wednesday, 18 December, Shah held a press conference at the BJP headquarters, accusing the Congress of launching a smear campaign. “The Congress is distorting my statements to mislead people. I condemn their deliberate misrepresentation,” Shah said.

Despite the notices, however, the Congress remains defiant. Party leaders have emphasised that the video was shared only to highlight Shah’s disrespect toward Ambedkar.

The INDIA bloc too has thrown its weight behind the Congress, framing the issue as an attack on free speech and political dissent in addition to being a belittling of Ambedkar.

The BJP and Amit Shah have come in from criticism from non-allied parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party as well as more loosely allied parties too, who contest against the Congress regionally (such as the AAP and the TMC).