The Bombay High Court on Monday allowed Union minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta, Google and X for allegedly defamatory content being circulated on their social media platforms linking him to a row about the government’s ethanol-blending programme, reported Live Law.
The E20 programme is anational initiative to blend 20% ethanol with 80% petrol. The initiative has received criticism from vehicle owners who have alleged that E20 fuel was reducing mileage and damaging cars.
Apart from the technology companies, Gadkari has named the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications as respondents to his plea.
The Union minister of road transport and highways stated in his petition that the E20 programme was being administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and that he had no role in it, reported The Indian Express.
He alleged that the social media content linking him to the programme consisted of “profane and abusive language” directed at him, which cannot be considered “legitimate political criticism or satire”.
The minister also claimed that the content unlawfully uses his personality and publicity rights without his consent.
Unknown persons have been circulating posts claiming that Gadkari and his family profited from the E20 initiative, said the plea. It has described the claims as “false and defamatory”.
Earlier this...
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