Modi Govt. trying to curtail freedom of expression: Congress

The Congress Party on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led NDA Government for implementing and then taking a U-turn on the National Encryption Policy, saying the ruling dispensation at the Centre is trying to curtail the freedom of expression.

"The way in which the Draft Encryption Policy was issued and then withdrawn within 24 hours this shows how the Modi Government is trying to curtail the freedom of expression. This government is trying to suppress the basic right of freedom and expression under Article 21 of our Constitution," Congress leader R S Surjewala told ANI.

"The real intent of Modi Government is to keep an eye on every person of this country," he added.

Surjewala further said, "Contrary to the stated objective of the encryption policy of Government of India of creating a security environment and ensuring secured transaction... all that Modi Government wanted to do, was to ensure 24/7 surveillance of the individual particularly the large amount of young in this country."

The government withdrew the Draft Encryption Policy, which asked users of services that use encryption, such as WhatsApp and other social media services, to store all their communication for as long as 90 days.

Briefing media this afternoon, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad made it clear that what was released yesterday was not the final view of the government.