Andhra Dy CM Pawan Kalyan warns legal action against misuse of social media
Amaravati, July 1
Issuing a stern warning to those misusing social media, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday announced a special cell in his office to receive complaints from public.
He said that complaints can be submitted with digital evidence such as screenshots, links, and videos.
"We will examine every genuine complaint, forward it to the concerned officials, and ensure that legal action is taken," the Deputy Chief Minister said in a video.
He urged citizens to identify those who repeatedly misuse social media through fake accounts and to provide their details to the government.
"We will take strict action against those involved in such offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the Information Technology Act 2000, and other relevant laws," he said.
The Jana Sena leader added that if necessary, the state government will enact new legislation to curb misuse of social media.
He, however, assured that the state government will fully uphold the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
The Deputy Chief Minister released the video message, hours after the Andhra Pradesh Police arrested political commentator KV Reddy and YouTuber Prashna Raavan alias B. Joseph from Hyderabad.
KV Reddy and Raavan had allegedly made derogatory comments while criticising Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
Pawan Kalyan said that while anyone can criticise and question them, this should be done respectfully.
"If you speak whatever you like, I promise you, you will face legal consequences," he added.
Asserting that freedom of expression is a fundamental right guaranteed by our Constitution and he and the government respect the right, the Deputy Chief Minister said that freedom of expression is not an absolute and unlimited right.
"It (freedom of expression) comes with certain boundaries. When actions cross the line and infringe upon the rights of others, legal consequences are inevitable," he added.
He said that under Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution, there are legal restrictions on freedom of speech on matters relating to country's integrity, national security, public order, decency, morality, defamation, and incitement to crime.
"Freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to abuse. You have the right to criticise the government, question us, and disagree with our decisions. That is democracy... and we welcome it. However, actions such as verbally abusing others, issuing threats, making baseless allegations, targeting women, insulting religious beliefs, damaging a person's dignity, and inciting violence do not fall under the freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. These are criminal offences," Pawan Kalyan added.
The actor-politician noted that in recent years, the misuse of social media has reached alarming levels.
"Many individuals hide behind fake accounts to engage in activities like using obscene language, hurling personal insults, attempting to tarnish reputations, spreading baseless allegations and misinformation, morphing photos obscenely, and engaging in harassment and intimidation. Women are being targeted in highly obscene ways," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
"Deliberately insulting comments are also being made about gods and goddesses. This is neither freedom of expression nor healthy criticism; and it is certainly not democratic. We fully respect the right to offer constructive criticism, fair comments, and satire, and to express diverse opinions. However, deliberate misinformation campaigns, hate speech, criminal threats, cyber-harassment, verbal abuse, and intentional attempts to damage someone's reputation cannot be justified in the name of freedom of expression."
Saying that crime has no caste, religion or political party affiliation, Pawan Kalyan added that one should attempt to hide behind caste, religion, region, or politics after committing a crime is wrong.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a great step. I've seen women being harassed with obscene comments and morphed photos on social media - it's horrific. Pawan Kalyan's focus on protecting women and religious sentiments is commendable. Let's hope this doesn't become a tool to silence legitimate criticism though.
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. Yes, fake accounts and abuse need to stop, but the arrests of KV Reddy and Prashna Raavan seem like they were just criticizing the CM. Where do we draw the line between "respectful criticism" and "abuse"? The government needs to be transparent about its definition.
As a woman who's been trolled online, I fully support this. The amount of misogyny and threats we face in the name of "free speech" is insane. Pawan Kalyan is absolutely right - targeting women, making obscene comments, and spreading fake news is not democracy. It's crime. Period. 👏
Good intentions but dangerous precedent. The IT Act already has provisions for cyber harassment. Creating a special cell just for complaints against social media misuse could easily become a tool for political vendetta. Need to see how this is implemented - will they also go after people from their own party?
What about the bigger issue - fake news that spreads like wildfire? Just yesterday I saw a morphed video of the CM being shared. Pawan Kalyan is spot on about fake accounts and targeting religious sentiments. But the govt must also ensure this doesn't become a censor board for political dissent. Balance is key.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.