RJD's Shivanand Tiwari slams Nitish Kumar's move to make 'anti-govt' posts a cybercrime

After the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar issued a circular declaring 'anti-government' social media posts a cybercrime, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Shivanand Tiwari said the move is a kind of dictatorship and that the Bihar Chief Minister is following Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's footsteps.

After the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar issued a circular declaring 'anti-government' social media posts a cybercrime, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Shivanand Tiwari said the move is a kind of dictatorship and that the Bihar Chief Minister is following Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's footsteps. Speaking to ANI, Tiwari said, "I don't understand if Nitish Kumar has control over his administration or the circular has been issued after his nod, it's hard to say"

He said, "The Bihar government is a "Namuna government". I remember during the lockdown when migrant workers were coming back to their native places, a senior police officer had stated that the crime rate in Bihar is rising due to the arrival of the migrant workers, now this news is coming (the new circular of Bihar government), who will decide what is objectionable? Nitish Ji or the police officers who gave such statements? In a democracy, people have the right to criticise the government." "According to these new circular if someone says the crime rate is increasing in the state, then a police officer will take it as an "objectionable" statement and file a case against the person. This is a bad thing. This is a kind of dictatorship, in a democracy; this kind of circular from a government servant is surprising."

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar ordered the state police's Economic Offenses Wing to take necessary actions under the cybercrime act, against those who share offensive and defamatory social media posts about the state government, any ministers, or the Chief Minister. The letter was released on the behalf of Economic and Cybercrime Department from Bihar Police Headquarters on January 21. It is regarding the 'objectionable comments' made on social media against ministers and government officials.

"Making objectionable comments against the government, ministers and officials come under the category of cybercrime. It seems right to take action against such individuals or groups. Economic Offences Unit is the nodal agency of cybercrimes. I request all of you to give information regarding any such crime to the Economic Offences Unit, Patna so that we can take apt action against such people," said Additional Director General of Police of the Economic Offences Unit Nayyar Hasnain Khan said in the letter. 

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