New Delhi: Soon after it was revealed that the roadmap for the Centre's move to 'regulate' digital news and to 'neutralize' independent media was chalked out by a report on government communication prepared by a group of ministers, Congress slammed the ruling Government 'curbing' freedom of speech and 'controlling' the free press in India.
During the time of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, a Government communication report was compiled after six meetings of five Union cabinet ministers including Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and S Jaishankar along with four other Minister of state.
While addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "It is absolutely certain that at the time of coronavirus in the entire nation was standing rock solid with the government, while thinking that Prime Minister is thinking about our life, our livelihood, when he was actually preparing to stab us in the back by first compromising freedom of speech and expression in the country and controlling the free press and while doing this, some of us themselves became a part of this."
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The report had stated the recently notified Information Technology rules 2021, by Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar, which came under criticism for excessive Government control over digital media are clearly keeping with this strategy.
"The report has categorically mentioned that there has to be a strategy to neutralize people who are writing against the government and some of the suggestions made in this report are actually turn into law. Will Parliament make laws or does the laws being made by reports like these?" asked Supriya Shrinate.
The report was being prepared in consultations with "prominent persons from the media field" and "members of industry/business chambers" and "prominent personalities."
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Speaking over the matter, the Congress spokesperson said, "I don't know if it happened because they were caught unaware and with their consent, I think it's important that they come out and make their positions clear because this does rave question on their commitment to being a part of media as media is being called as the fourth pillar of any democracy."
She also asked a series of questions from the Government, saying, "Why do you want to have this propaganda machinery? Why do you want to have a parallel universe where you're going to use and exercise power over the people? What is the purpose of this group of ministers and this report which is being prepared by them? was this to weaken our constitutional democracy? What are you going to do with these 50 influencers?"
Congress also demanded the resignation of Prakash Javadekar and Ravi Shankar Prasad, alleging them of breach of privilege, after the revelation of these report.
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