Devil’s Advocate on backfoot on Socila Media Curbs

Devil’s Advocate on backfoot on Socila Media Curbs

After the furore over his statement on content monitoring on Internet, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said that the government has no intention of "interfering" with the social media, nor does it plan to evolve guidelines amounting to restriction or regulation.

The above moderation of his stand on social media was not his choice rather it was guided by force of circumstances ever since he made public his intention to curb the space of social media. As soon as he made his evil intention to curb the free space of social media, he came under heavy fire from the netizens all across the country. He was mocked, ridiculed, lampooned, abused and Photoshopped by the netizens on the social media and following which his dignity lay as tattered as his logic.He would still have persisted with his arrogance on the issue; however he started receiving flaks from the International Community also on the issue. On Thursday, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton took a dig at countries which were attempting to curb internet freedom. Speaking in The Hague, she said, "When ideas are blocked, information deleted, conversations stifled and people constrained in their choices , the internet is diminished for all of us."

On Friday,In his message on the UN Human Rights day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon made a pointed criticism against efforts to curb social media.

"Many of the people seeking their legitimate aspirations were linked through social media. Gone are the days when repressive governments could control the flow of information. Today, within their existing obligation to respect the rights of freedom of assembly and expression, governments must not block access to the internet and various forms of Social Media as a way to prevent criticism and public debate." While he did not name India or kapil Sibal the implications of his remarks were apparent.

Under the heavy fire from the Netizens coupled with severe criticism by international Community on the issue, Sibal has realized that if he doesn’t quickly reverse his position, the issue would snowball into a big crisis for him and his Govt and hence there has been a sudden change of his stance on the issue.

Well, this is not the first instance when he has courted some controversy. In Fact, during the whole of 2011, he has been in the eye of storm for conducting as a true friend and advocate for devils and corrupt in the Govt and his party and for attacking all those who dare speak against corruption and corrupt in the Govt in a most offensive manner. Soon after he took charge of telecom ministry, he called a press conference and while arguing like an Advocate, he dismissed the finding of CAG(a constitutional body and country’s top audit authority)completely and declared that national exchequer had suffered zero loss in 2G scam and hence all allegations of corruption against Raja in 2G scam was totally un-founded and wrong. Then he started conducting as the chief trouble shooter and negotiator for the Govt with Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare Team spearheading popular movements against corruption and black money. While acting as a trouble shooter and negotiator, he created more troubles for the Govt instead of solving them even a little bit. While acting as a negotiator on behalf of the Govt, he would, most often, take non-negotiating positions and would start defending them by using circuitous arguments as if he was conducting as an advocate for the Govt. and his duty as an Advocate of the Govt was to win the case for it by hook or by crook. He got some success in case of Baba Ramdev through similar methods; however his treachery with Baba Ramdev was exposed in public domain and it made the Team Anna extra cautious while dealing with him. As a result, Team Anna refused to fall in any trap laid down by him. Every time, he would lay trap for team Anna, they would frustrate his attempts by acting very cautiously, intelligently and smartly. Also during the meetings with the Anna Team, he would conduct so arrogantly and in condescending manner that he alienated all its members without solving the problem even a bit of it. After being severely mocked, lampooned and abused by people for his attack on Anna during his press conference just before Anna went on indefinite fast in Mid of August that he decided to keep low profile instead of continuing to remain in eye of storm and antagonize the masses, overwhelmingly opposed to the Govt on issue of corruption. However, he has again decided to conduct as Devil’s Advocate and has been trying to shield all these people from being mocked, ridiculed, lampooned, abused and Photoshopped on Social Media like Facebook,Twitter,U-tube etc. by imposing curbs on them. However, his attempt seems to have again backfired on him. Just within a few hours of announcing his attempts to curb social media, he came under so severe fire from the netizens followed by International community; he has been left with no option but to come on the back-foot on the issue and save himself and the Govt from more damage and embarrassment.

Given the nature of the minister, we understand that for time being he may have come to back-foot to save himself and the Govt; however he would look for a favourable opportunity for the Govt in future to come heavy on social media.It’s a different thing that he would be frustrated everytime, he decides to curb the social media. He should know that what he talked earlier like pre-screening of voluminous contents(like comments,video,photographs etc. to be uploaded on social media networks like Facebook,Twitter, U-tube etc.) is not only impractical but also against democratic norms of a nation like India.He must remember that India is not China, Burma,North Korea, Saudi Arabia. Or Iran. India is the largest democracy in the world and it is logical for it to allow free flow of information and opinions in order to help grow and mature our democracy and any attempt to gag media would be suicidal for the democracy.Hope, our political class especially the Present Govt at the centre would refuse to heed ill-advice of Mr. Sibal regarding attempts to curb social media in the best of the interests of largest democracy in the world.