VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday underscored the need for punishing miscreants misusing social media platforms and posting objectionable remarks against women.
Accusing YSRC activists of resorting to posting offensive comments against Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, Naidu opined that national and international laws must be studied to formulate legislation to punish such anti-social elements, who commit grave offences under the pretext of freedom of speech and expression.
The Chief Minister was speaking during an event in Amaravati, where he inaugurated power sub-stations worth Rs 742 crore.
“Some persons are misusing social media platforms and posting repulsive comments against women. Such anti-social elements should be dealt with seriously,” the Chief Minister asserted and recalled that he felt very sad when certain objectionable comments were passed against his wife on the floor of the Assembly.
It’s our duty to save State from evildoers, asserts Naidu
“Should action not be taken against such psychos,” the Chief Minister sought to know and directed police officials to act prudently against people making offensive posts online.
“It is our bounden duty to save the State from evildoers. If there are any threats coming from rowdies, consequences will be totally different,” he noted.
Later in the day, while addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat, Home Minister Anitha maintained that those posting objectionable content on social media will be arrested wherever they are and will be punished severely.
“It seems that YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has set up a war room for arranging bails to the social media activists, who are resorting to posting objectionable comments," the Minister claimed.
On the possibilities for the State government to deal with hateful posts on social media, High Court Advocate PVG Umesh Chandra explained that there are certain provisions under the IT Act as well as the IPC to deal with issues pertaining social media abuse and crimes in the cyber space. Umesh pointed out, “The provisions are the existing laws are incomplete. There is need for a more comprehensive legislation to tackle the issue.”