Alleging that the BJP government at the Centre was seeking to change laws which govern the internet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that she is “extremely concerned” about the Centre's sudden desire to gain control over the internet.
“We are extremely concerned and worried about the central government's sudden interest in controlling the Internet. I have been reading about the changes the BJP government wants to make to the laws which govern the internet. It almost seems like they are scared of the free flow of ideas and criticism of their bad policies,” stated Banerjee in a facebook post. However, she did not elaborate on what change Centre was seeking to make to the related laws.
The Chief Minister also said that people must the ask the Modi government whether it was afraid of the social media which it uses to attack its opponents. She also asked why the Centre was suddenly keen on changing the laws ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“We must ask why the Modi government is scared of the social media which they use to attack others and which helped them to win in 2014. What is the need to change the laws now before elections?,” stated Banerjee. She also asked whether the Centre was “trying to Censure speech.”
Not only did she urge other political parties to oppose the move but also said that she will instruct Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.
“Are they worried that social media is now becoming the real media where people express their views? We can't let India's democracy and power of people on social media to be censored,” said the Chief Minister.
