Didn't Ask Facebook To Drop #ResignModi, Report "Mischievous": Government

"A story by Wall Street Journal attributing removal of a certain hashtag by Facebook to GOI's efforts to curb public dissent is misleading on facts and mischievous in intent," the government said in a statement.

A Wall Street Journal report that alleged that the temporary blocking of the hashtag #ResignModi was an attempt to curb public dissent was "misleading" and "mischievous", the government said today, emphatically denying that it directed Facebook to do so. "A story by Wall Street Journal attributing removal of a certain hashtag by Facebook to GOI's efforts to curb public dissent is misleading on facts and mischievous in intent," the government said in a statement. "Government has not issued any direction to remove this hashtag. Facebook has also clarified that it was removed by mistake," it said. The government referred to a Wall Street Journal report on March 5 that it said was "completely fake" and manufactured.