Sikh rights group sues Facebook for blocking its page in India

NEW YORK: A US-based Sikh rights group has filed a lawsuit against Facebook for blocking its page in India allegedly at the behest of the Indian government.

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) filed the lawsuit in the US District Court in California and is asking that Facebook should cease and desist from blocking access to SFJ's Facebook page in India and be ordered to produce all its communication with the government of India related to the page.

The group also wants the court to issue an order reinstating access and enjoining Facebook from blocking the group's online content in future.

Facebook has 21 days to file its response to SFJ's lawsuit.

SFJ alleged that its Facebook page has been blocked in retaliation to its campaign against the forced conversion of members of the Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities to Hinduism and due to other political campaigns run by it through its Facebook page.

SFJ had last month said that its Facebook page, which had more than 85,000 followers, could not be accessed by the internet users in India.

"Facebook has clearly violated the US laws which protect freedom of speech and prohibit discrimination based on religion, race or national origin," SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said.