Bihar: Opposition Slams Govt Decision to Take Action for Social Media Posts Against Ministers, Officers

Patna: The Nitish Kumar led Bihar government’s announcement to take action against alleged offensive and defamatory social media posts criticising the government, its ministers, and other officials, has drawn huge flak from the opposition parties in the state including the Left parties.

In a letter dated January 21, written by the Chief of the Bihar Police Economic Offenses Wing, IG, to all secretaries of the state government, it was stated that it has come to light that certain persons and organisations have been making defamatory and offensive comments on social media against the government, respected ministers, parliamentarians, legislators, and government officials. It further stated that such actions are against the prescribed law and come under the category of cybercrime.

Therefore, the letter requested the department's to inform the EOW with details about any such acts for suitable legal action against those organisations/individuals after investigation.

However, a day after the letter, state Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav has directly blamed Nitish Kumar for such an anti-people decision for questioning corruption, crime and wrong policies of the government on social media. Yadav also dared the CM to arrest him for exposing the government wrongdoing on social media.

60 घोटालों के सृजनकर्ता नीतीश कुमार भ्रष्टाचार के भीष्म पितामह, दुर्दांत अपराधियों के संरक्षकर्ता, अनैतिक और अवैध सरकार के कमजोर मुखिया है। बिहार पुलिस शराब बेचती है। अपराधियों को बचाती है निर्दोषों को फँसाती है।

CM को चुनौती देता हूँ- अब करो इस आदेश के तहत मुझे गिरफ़्तार।? https://t.co/wDJfoMqgjT

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) January 22, 2021

(The perpetrator of 60 scams, Nitish Kumar, the Bhishma Pitamaha of corruption, the protector of criminals, the weak chief of an immoral and unconstitutional government. Bihar police sells liquor. I challenge the Chief Minister to arrest me under this order.)

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, who was the chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Mahagathbandhan in last year’s Assembly polls, also described Nitish Kumar as Hitler. “Protesters cannot protest. Jail for those who write against the government. People are not allowed to take their complaints to the opposition leader... Nitish ji, we know you are completely tired, but have some shame,” he added.

Congress leader Prem Chand Mishra said the latest order reflects how much the NDA government is scared of criticism by people. “It is like a Tughlaqui farman to suppress questions raised against the government,” he reportedly said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Avadesh Kumar also added that the state government is not ready to tolerate criticism by the people and that it is resorting to cybercrime rules to hide the corruption and target those who question the government.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the ruling Janata Dal (United)- Bharatiya Janata Party alliance have defended the decision to take action against offensive and defamatory social media posts against the government, ministers and officers.

Additional Director General of Police Vigendar Kumar too has reportedly said that action would be taken against offensive and objectionable social media posts as per IT Act.

This development is being seen as a move to silence the growing criticism against Nitish Kumar led NDA government's failure on maintaining law and order and controlling rampant corruption in the state.