India Is Only Democracy That Routinely Resorts To Internet Ban: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

A day before the Supreme Court's hearing on the lift of the Internet ban directed by the Manipur High Court in the state, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor pointed out that India is the only democracy that routinely resorts to Internet shutdowns with no appreciable effect on violence.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 16 July 2023 6:45 am

Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor pointed out on Twitter that India is the only democracy that shuts down the Internet for days inconveniencing citizens on a regular basis.

Tharoor's statement comes a day before the Supreme Court hearing regarding the ethnic violence in Manipur and the state has faced Internet shutdowns ever since the clashes broke out causing trouble in all walks of life.

There is no proof that violence can be stalled with Internet bans as observed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology said Shashi Tharoor who was its chairman.

Tharoor wrote on Twitter today, "It is a reflexive bureaucratic action that causes far more inconvenience to ordinary citizens than a useful security measure."

He added, "I hope the Supreme Court will stand up for the rights of citizens rather than for the blinkered babus who are completely indifferent to the impact of their decisions on citizens who use the Internet for banking, credit card transactions, enrolments, examinations, &to obtain all kinds of vital information. The Court must end this awful practice now!"

The Supreme Court will hear on Monday the government’s appeal against a Manipur High Court order, relaxing the draconian ban on the internet that has crippled digital life in the state for the last three months. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology had…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 16, 2023

The state government's Internet ban was directed to be lifted by the Manipur high court on July 7. But the state government did not follow the order instead moved to the Supreme Court and the hearing is on Monday.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not said anything about the ongoing violence in Manipur and Congress has been pressing the PM for it. The Congress has said that they will be raising this issue in the upcoming Monsoon Session in the houses of Parliament that start on July 20.