New Delhi: As the Central Government, on Thursday, laid down a new set of rules to regulate social media, online streaming and digital content, the Congress party launched a scathing attack saying that it has been done in the garb of curbing freedom of speech and expression, which should not be tolerated.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said to the media, "Any measures to check paedophilia, child pornography or anything like that is welcome. I think those measures need to be taken. We need to have a more safe society for our children and for our women. We need to keep that under check."
"But this seems to be done in the garb of curbing freedom of speech and expression. This Government has consistently done so. Whether it is slapping sedition charges like it is going out of fashion or as if it is for petty crimes like pickpocketing, this is what they've consistently been doing," she further added.
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Explaining the new set of rules, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the move will empower users of social media and the Center's warning went out to all social media platforms operating across the country. He also warned that "double standards of social media will not be acceptable".
Criticising Prasad's statement, Shrinate said, "I think Ravi Shankar Prasad as Law Minister, but more as a Telecom and IT Minister, has presided over the death of Indian Telecom, is now presiding over the death of Indian's freedom of speech and expression and he needs to be reminded that it takes it's roots back to Mahatma Gandhi who fought for freedom of speech and expression and eventually did win. Anything being done in the garb of freedom of speech and expression must not be tolerated."
Under the new rules, a three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been established with two levels of self-regulation. Level I compromises the publisher and level II comprises the self-regulatory body, while the third level is the oversight mechanism under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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Also, social media platforms upon being asked either by a court order or a government authority will be required to disclose the first originator of mischievous tweet or message as the case may be.
While addressing the press conference, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar had asserted that the freedom of media is the soul of democracy but every freedom has to be responsible.
"Any move to curb freedom of speech and expression should be fought with every ounce of blood. We will fight it. We recently saw Justice Rana's judgement which is a tight slap and a rude reminder it was as far as the freedom of speech and expression is concerned," Shrinate asserted.
