Bihar police circular says offensive social media posts against govt to be treated as cyber crime

The social media was supposedto be a tool which would speed up information disseminationand help intellectual uplift of the people on a mass scale.But more often than not we come across content on theseplatforms which are full of vile abuses, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad,spokesperson of the Janata Dal United, said in a statement.BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand echoed similar views.Freedom of expression does not mean no holds barred.There must be some regulations and guidelines with regard tothe use of social media.

Offensive social media postsagainst the government, ministers, MPs, legislators and stateofficials will now be treated as cyber crime and invite penalaction, a circular issued by a top Bihar police offier said,provoking the opposition to accuse Chief Minister Nitish Kumarof acting like Nazi dictator Hitler.

Under the Information Technology Act, cyber crimes arepunishable with imprisonment up to seven years and fine orboth.

The letter was issued on Thursday by Naiyar HasnainKhan, the ADG heading the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), whichis also the nodal body of the police for cyber crimes.

Addressed to all principal secretaries and secretariesof various departments in the state, the letter has soughtintimation of any such activity by individuals ororganisations so that the EOW could take action in accordancewith law.

Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who shared ascreenshot of the letter on his Twitter handle, expressedoutrage.

''Look at the deeds of the Chief Minister (NitishKumar) who is following in the footsteps of Hitler'', Yadavtweeted.

''Protesters cannot demonstrate at designated places.

People sent to jail for writing against the government. Nitishji, we understand that you are completely tired. But, atleast, have some shame'', he added in a series of tweets inHindi.

The ruling NDA, however, came out in support of thecommunication, saying restraining those spewing venom on thesocial media had become necessary.

''It is a welcome step. The social media was supposedto be a tool which would speed up information disseminationand help intellectual uplift of the people on a mass scale.

But more often than not we come across content on theseplatforms which are full of vile abuses'', Rajiv Ranjan Prasad,spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United), said in a statement.

BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand echoed similar views.

''Freedom of expression does not mean no holds barred.

There must be some regulations and guidelines with regard tothe use of social media. Interests of the nation and thesociety ought to be upheld'', he said.

Anand also expressed concern over social mediaincreasingly lending itself to character assassination anddefamation and pointed out that in many instances evengovernment officials have been found guilty of posting remarksthat violate their code of conduct.

''Such things need to be stopped,'' the BJP spokespersonsaid.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)