January 8, 2019
Centre trying to control social media out of fear: Mamata Banerjee
The Central Government is trying to control social media, out of fear ahead of the general elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged. She wrote on her Facebook page: “We are extremely concerned and worried about the central government’s sudden interest in controlling the Internet.”
She said, “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.”
The CM said, “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? Are they trying to censor speech? Are they worried that social media is now becoming the real media where people express their views?”
She requested all political leaders to strongly oppose this wrong policy change at this crucial time. She also asked Trinamool MPs to raise this in Parliament as well.
“We can’t let India’s democracy and power of people on social media to be censored,” she reiterated.
