Parliament Monsoon Session: CBI to probe Cambridge Analytica data breach case, says RS Prasad

As monsoon showers drenched the national capital, the Parliament Monsoon Session 2018 reconvened on Thursday for the seventh day.

On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018. And, the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday moved the privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Piyush Goyal for misleading the House regarding the 14^th Finance Commission.

The privilege motion moved by the Congress on the Rafale deal against PM Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also taken up by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for ‘consideration’.

Highlights of Parliament Monsoon Session 2018 Day 7:

#05:25 PM: Cambridge Analytica data breach case will be investigated by CBI: Ravi Shankar Prasad, IT Minister in Rajya Sabha

Cambridge Analytica data breach case will be investigated by CBI: Ravi Shankar Prasad, IT Minister in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/lmLLdl5VIP

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2018

#03:45 PM: Opposition parties questions the Anti-trafficking Bill in the Lok Sabha, saying it is neither clear and nor comprehensive in many parts.

#03:30 PM: After Government issued notice to WhatsApp and it reduced the number of forwards to five, it now plans to remove fwd button adjacent to video or audio msg; they also plan to bring fact checking and fake news verification mechanism, says Prasad.

# 02:40 PM: Ravi Shankar Prasad talks about Social media and circulation of Fake News.

The Govt is cognizant that social media platforms are being used as vehicles of weaponization against India's strategic interests, economic stability and Govt is committed to take suitable action to deter this: Ravi Shankar Prasad, IT Minister in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/yAmWsIUiKV

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2018

Govt issued notice to #WhatsApp, since in most such horrible incidents the preceding factor was rumours on Whatsapp. In response, Whastapp took steps to increase friction in propagation of content by reducing forwards to 5 and indicating whether message is forwarded:RS Prasad pic.twitter.com/WgdDQKxoRt

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2018

# 02:35 PM: IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad takes the issue of misuse of social media and circulation of Fake News leading to rise in violence and lynching.

# 02:10 PM: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor states that the government may not know the difference between ‘persecution’ and ‘prosecution' and suggests the Trafficking Bill shoud be sent to Standing Committee to address issues, several MPs join the demand.

# 01:20 PM: "How can we sit silent and see children and women being bought and sold like slaves?" asks Maneka Gandhi as she moves the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill. 

# 01:05 PM: BJP MP Maheish Girri, raised the issue of death of three girls due to starvation ahead of the adjournment of the upper house.  

# 01:00 PM: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.

# 12:50 PM: Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrives at the Parliament.

# 12:45 PM: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar says the Jio institute has not been granted any status of eminence. 

# 12:30 AM: AIADMK  MP P R. Sundaram says the truckers' strike has affected perishable goods sector such as eggs and vegetable which hiked up prices of the essential item.

# 11:50 AM: I welcome BJP's Padayatra, at least they are fighting in favour of the farmers. I am waiving farmers loans, they should appreciate me for it, says Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy

I welcome BJP's Padayatra, at least they are fighting in favour of the farmers. I am waiving farmers loans, they should appreciate me for it: Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy pic.twitter.com/ti4QfgtwH8

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2018

# 11:30 AM: Earlier visuals of Telugu Desam Party MPs protesting in Parliament premises over their demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier visuals of Telugu Desam Party MPs protesting in Parliament premises over their demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh, pic.twitter.com/IpsBK0Jg2g

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2018