‘Misleading’: Govt on Kapil Sibal's ‘prosecution for defamatory remarks’ claim
Earlier in the day, the former Union IT minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI that the government made social media “the only platform left for ordinary citizens” unsafe for users and safe for itself, and “when defamatory statements are made... people will be prosecuted”.
Hours after Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal said that under amended Information and technology (IT) rules, defamatory comments on social media would lead to prosecution, the government on Saturday said the amended rules do not have any such provision.
The Press Information Bureau - the Central government's nodal agency for disseminating information to the media, put out a tweet through its PIB Fact Check account. The agency wrote, “ This claim is Misleading. The amended IT Rules have not added any new provision for prosecution”.
Earlier in the day, the former Union IT minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI that the government made social media “the only platform left for ordinary citizens” unsafe for users and safe for itself, and “when defamatory statements are made... people will be prosecuted”.
Sibal also said the government, after capturing TV networks, is now planning to capture social media platforms and termed it a “comprehensive capture of media”.
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“We are moving towards one code of conduct, one political party, one system of governance, and no answerability to anyone,” he told ANI.
The new IT rules came into effect on Friday under which platforms will have a greater onus to do due diligence and make a reasonable effort to remove illegal content on their own. The amended rules have specified a definite deadline for social media companies to remove illegal content within 72 hours of being flagged.
(With agency inputs)
