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‘PM Modi kept internet free’: Minister retorts to Kapil Sibal's IT Rules claims
Kapil Sibal on Saturday had hit out at the Centre for the latest amendment of IT Rules alleging that it is the “comprehensive capture of media”, news agency ANI reported.
Union minister of state for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday retorted to Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal's claims on the amended IT Rules and targeted for allegedly jailing people by bringing the Section 66A of the IT Act.
Sibal on Saturday had hit out at the Centre for the latest amendment of IT Rules alleging that it is the “comprehensive capture of media”, news agency ANI reported.
“First, they captured the TV networks and now, they are going to capture social media platforms. It's the comprehensive capture of media,” ANI quoted Sibal as saying.
He added, “Safe for the government and unsafe for others, that's what the policy of this government always has been... The only platform left for ordinary citizens was social media; when statements defamatory are made... people will be prosecuted.”
Hitting back, Chandrasekhar said, “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 the internet free and open. They arrested youths under section 66A of the IT Act. Opposed privacy but under PM Modi's tenure, the Supreme Court upheld the right to privacy.”
“Says man who brought Sec66A of IT act tht jailed ppl, opposed Privacy as fundamental right n presided over coverup of 2G scam with ‘zero loss’ effort. PM @narendramodi ji's mission is to keep Internet Open, Safe&Trusted n Accountable n protect ALL ctzns fundamental rights,” the minister also tweeted on Saturday.
On Saturday, the central government's nodal agency Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-checked Sibal's claims and called them "misleading".
Sharing a screenshot of Sibal's comments, the PIB said, "Former Union IT Minister Kapil Sibal in a statement claims that under the amended IT rules, people making defamatory statements will be prosecuted."
"This claim is misleading. The amended IT rules have not added any new provision for prosecution," it added.
Under the new IT Rules that came into effect on Friday, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will have the greater responsibility to do due diligence and make a 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.
The new rules impose a legal obligation on social media companies to take all out efforts to prevent barred content and misinformation, the government said on Saturday making it clear that platforms such as Twitter and Facebook operating in India will have to abide by local laws and constitutional rights of Indian users. The new rules provide for setting up appellate committees which can overrule decisions of the big tech firms on takedown or blocking requests.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
