Latest IT Rules include restraint on Islamophobic Content on Social Media- Supreme Court Of India

By Shashank

After the declaration of New IT rules, a set of concerns were raised by dignitaries across various fields. Recently, a petition was filed before the Hon’ble supreme court by Advocate Khaja Aijazuddin seeking directions to restrain social Media platforms carrying Islamophobic content and to direct a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or NIA against Twitter and its users involved in putting out “Inflammatory Posts”.

The petition was filed in the backdrop of the alleged reportage by the media on the Tablighi Jamaat incident in New Delhi, Nizamuddin as an alleged cause for the spread of the covid 19 virus. The petition said that there was a huge trend on Twitter relating the Muslim religion to the cause of the spread of coronavirus. Massive publicity was given to the assumption that Tablighi Jamaat people were spreading the virus and the majority of positive cases were being reported.

Following prayers were made before the court:

1. Restrain all social media networks operating in India not to carry any Islamicphobic posts or messages hurting or insulting the feelings of a particular community.
2. Issue direction to the Government of India to register criminal complaint against Twitter and its users, who are spreading hatred messages.
3. Direct government to frame specific guidelines under the Information Technology Act, 2000, about hate messages against any religious community.

In response to the pleading, the bench of CJI NV Ramana remarked that the latest IT rules take care of such issues raised before the court. The court also directed the petitioner to examine the recent IT rules 2021. Also, the court observed that the issue of Tablighi Jamaat has been forgotten, there is no point in raking this issue again.

The court asked the petitioner to highlight that the rules which substantiate that it does not take care of such an issue. The court then adjourned the matter for further hearing.