The issue of Net Neutrality rocked the Parliament after Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged the government was "carving out the net and handing it over to corporates".
Demanding a new law or change in the current laws to protect Net Neutrality, the leader said : "Over 1 million people are fighting for net neutrality”. "Like they are taking away land, they are taking away internet rights. They did not answer my question, just gave a roundabout answer,” Rahul Gandhi later told reporters.
Shortly after Rahul Gandhi made the statements, social media erupted with hashtag trends such as #RGforNetNeutrality.
The government, however, hit back at the allegations. Responding to Rahul Gandhi, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "We want internet for 125 crore Indians. Don't worry, we will protect the future of the Net.”
"Rahulji, you are a senior leader. We want to tell the house that we are not under pressure from any corporates," he added while taking a dig at the previous Congress government over alleged blocking of Twitter accounts.
After having raised in the Parliament, net neutrality has definitely become an important issue. Several Internet companies have already raised the issue and in fact departed from the controversial Airtel Zero programme. Moreover, there's already a save the Internet campaign going on.
TRAI is already looking into the issue of net neutrality, while reports are India's antitrust body CCI is also going to intervene into the matter.
With political parties joining the net neutrality debate, do you think we'll reach a solution soon? Let us know your views in the comments section below
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Source: NDTV,
Image source: NewIndianExpress