Bihar government allows only constructive criticism

In Bihar, oppositions has launched an offensive against the Nitish Kumar government after the state police issued a directive to treat offensive or objectionable comments against the government, ministers, MPs, MLAs, posted on social media/internet, as cyber crime. The RJD have termed the directive, issued on Thursday by the additional director general (ADG), economic offenses unit (EoU), Nayyar Husnain Khan, a grave violation of the right to freedom of speech.Congress senior leader and MLC Premchand Mishra said the directive only showed that the state government was scared of criticism and called it unacceptable and a violation of right to freedom of speech.

The ruling JD(U) and BJP have defended the decision claiming it would help in checking abusive and objectionable posts against the government and officials that flood social media, putting state officials and people’s representatives in bad light. “It is a good step, as these days, one can notice how people put objectionable and offensive posts against government officials and others on social media. This is wrong and needs to be checked,” said deputy chief minister Tarkishore Prasad. JD (U) senior leaders, former minister Neeraj Kumar and state spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan, too, defended the directive, saying it would deter unscrupulous elements from putting objectionable posts.

In the letter issued by ADG, EoU to all principal secretaries/secretaries, it has been mentioned that there are rising complaints about the growing trend of putting objectionable/ slanderous and offensive posts in the social media platforms against government officials, MPs, MLAs and ministers. The EOU will conduct inquiry into such complaints and initiate action under the I-T act and provisions of the Indian Penal Code against those indulging in such acts,” he said. The state police Friday issued a clarification about the move saying that "constructive criticism was welcome" and only posts spreading rumours and using "insulting language" would be targeted. "Criticism is healthy for democracy. But criticism must be constructive and the language used must fall within the norms of decency," said Jitendra Kumar, Additional Director General Headquarters. "This advisory was issued keeping in mind rumours and factually incorrect information and involving the use of insulting language on social media - these are punishable offences under the IT Act."