National
Parties differ over SC quashing Section 66A
New Delhi: The BJP, AAP and CPI-M on Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court verdict striking down the controversial Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, which was used to arrest people over social media postings. The Congress said it respected the verdict while the JD-U and Shiv Sena expressed their reservations.
The government also welcomed the apex court verdict.
With Section 66A having come into force in 2008 when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power, the party came out with a detailed response saying that it stood for freedom of speech but one person’s liberty of expression should not infringe on some other person’s liberty.
In a statement, the party said it has always been the champion and torch-bearer of freedom of expression, democratic dissent and right to criticise.
It said Section 66A was enacted to prevent online abuse and hounding of groups and individuals and check propagation of false information.
The government had included safeguards in the law which were not found sufficient by the Supreme Court, the party said.
The party said the onus now lies with the government to re-examine the issue and strike an appropriate balance by upholding freedom of expression and also deter unbridled defamation in cyberspace.
“We hope that the government will be guided by the sole consideration of upholding individual’s liberty of expression with reasonable restriction.”
The Congress accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of double standards on the issue.
“Arun Jaitley termed the law as ‘online emergency’ while in opposition and justified the same law when in power through an affidavit in the Supreme Court by stating that Section 66A was necessary to ‘regulate the use of cyberspace’,” the Congress pointed out.
Congress leaders also reacted to the verdict.
Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Glad the SC has struck down section 66A of the IT Act, which was liable to misuse; freedom must not be curbed.”
Manish Tewari said: “Section 66A gave too much power in the hands of law enforcement agencies. It’s a welcome decision.”
Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said he “totally disagreed with the verdict”.
“Look at the kind of things that are coming on Twitter,” he said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said police need powers to deal with the misuse of social media.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said scrapping of Section 66A was “a big day for freedom of speech n expression”.
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli told reporters it was a “landmark day for freedom of speech and expression”.
Welcoming the verdict, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat told IANS that the party has “always strongly opposed it not just because it is a question of misuse, it was also an instrument to curb the democratic expression”.
Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad welcomed the court decision and said people in power should be tolerant and liberal towards criticism.
“The government is committed to free speech. India is a democratic country and free flow of ideas should be respected. We do not seek to curtail any right,” Prasad said.
The minister, however, said it was important to have self-regulation and that social media platforms should also practice some self-restraint.
Section 66A reads: “Any person who sends by any means of a computer resource any information that is grossly offensive or has a menacing character; or any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine.”
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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