Blanket surveillance is bad in law: Mamata

Reacting to the Home Ministry’s decision to authorise 10 central agencies to monitor, intercept and decrypt any “information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer" West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that " blanket surveillance" is bad in law.

"Blanket surveillance is bad in law," tweeted the Chief Minister.

She also asked whether the step was dangerous.

“Isn’t this dangerous? I have come to know that Union Home Ministry has issued an order yesterday anuthorising 10 Central Agencies to carry out interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource,” tweeted the Chief Minister.

Questioning the decision further she said if the step was taken for safeguarding national security then the Centre already has the required machinery for that purpose. But why should it affect the common people, asked Banerjee.

“If it is for National Security, then only for that purpose Central government already has the machinery. But why all common people will be affected,” she tweeted.

Banerjee also sought public opinion regarding the issue in her tweets.

Earlier the Home Ministry has authorised 10 central agencies including CBI, RAW and Intelligence Bureau to intercept and decrypt any information generated or stored in any computer.