AgenciesBENGALURU: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Kunal Sarangi has written to Mahendra Nath Pandey, minister of skill development and entrepreneurship, asking him to reconsider TikTok’s partnership with National Skill Development Corp (NSDC).
Sarangi said there are several concerns raised against TikTok in India, including hate speech, alleged voter suppression and copyright over some content.
In July, NSDC joined TikTok to leverage the platform to educate TikTok’s users, including first-time internet users in India, about the ongoing government-driven skill development programmes and vocational training opportunities in the country through an in-app campaign.
MLA Sarangi is the latest in a string of politicians raising concerns over Tik-Tok. “In recent times several members of your party, leading members of the Opposition (and) the Swadeshi Jagran Manch have raised concerns over TikTok,” he wrote on September 4.
Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), affiliate of BJP’s ideological mentor RSS, has called for a ban on TikTok. “They today have partnerships with your ministry through the NSDC. These partnerships may create bias and negatively affect a free and fair investigation,” he wrote.
“I would urge your office to take this issue seriously and prevent the association of the good name of the Republic of India and the government with an organisation currently facing scrutiny in India and globally,” Sarangi wrote.
Sarangi said there are several concerns raised against TikTok in India, including hate speech, alleged voter suppression and copyright over some content.
“There are several concerns being raised about their business model and operations in India. In the interim, I would strongly urge that your government and ministry reconsider partnering with the Chinese organisation currently operating in this manner,” said Sarangi in the letter, which EThas reviewed. Email sent to TikTok did not elicit a response.
In July, NSDC joined TikTok to leverage the platform to educate TikTok’s users, including first-time internet users in India, about the ongoing government-driven skill development programmes and vocational training opportunities in the country through an in-app campaign.
MLA Sarangi is the latest in a string of politicians raising concerns over Tik-Tok. “In recent times several members of your party, leading members of the Opposition (and) the Swadeshi Jagran Manch have raised concerns over TikTok,” he wrote on September 4.
Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), affiliate of BJP’s ideological mentor RSS, has called for a ban on TikTok. “They today have partnerships with your ministry through the NSDC. These partnerships may create bias and negatively affect a free and fair investigation,” he wrote.
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“I would urge your office to take this issue seriously and prevent the association of the good name of the Republic of India and the government with an organisation currently facing scrutiny in India and globally,” Sarangi wrote.
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