Hitting back at allegations over the newly-amended IT rules, the Central government said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regimes wanted the governments to have control over the internet across the world.
While speaking to media, MoS R Chandrasekhar claimed that the UPA government wanted to work with China and have governments of the world control internet by taking it to an organisation. PM Modi rejected the proposal and kept internet free and open.”
“Congress arrested youths under Section 66A of IT Act and opposed privacy but under PM Modi’s tenure, Supreme Court upheld the right to privacy,” he added.
Chandrasekhar’s comments have come a day after former Union minister Kapil Sibal attacked the Centre over the new IT rules that came into effect on Friday.
Under the new rules, social media platforms will have greater onus to do due diligence and make reasonable effort to remove illegal content on their own. The rules provide for social media platforms to take down certain contentious content within 72 hours of reporting.
Slamming the BJP-led government, Sibal said, “Safe for the govt and unsafe for others, that’s what the policy of this govt always has been. The only platform left for ordinary citizens was social media; when statements defamatory are made, people will be prosecuted.”
“First, they captured the TV networks and now they are gonna capture social media platforms. It’s the comprehensive capture of media. We are moving towards one code of conduct, one political party, one system of governance & no answerability to anyone,” he added.
