Raja rejects Bhardwaj's charge

DMK leader and former IT minister A Raja today slammed former Union law minister H R Bhardwaj for blaming him for the controversial IT act amendment, struck down by Supreme Court, and rejected his charge as baseless saying it was a collective decision of the UPA Government.
"I am surprised and shocked by the remarks of Bhardwaj that it was me who initiated the move to amend the IT Act whereas creation of such laws should be considered the collective decision of the cabinet," Raja said in a statement here.
He was reacting to Bhardwaj's charge yesterday that the move to amend the IT Act was initiated by Raja as the DMK was apprehensive that something will appear on Facebook.

"So in order to curb that, as a preventive measure, it was done. I know personally that it was Raja's Ministry which amended the IT provision along with other amendments," he had said.
Rejecting the charge, Raja detailed the elaborate process and safeguards to be undergone for enactment of legislations before being tabled in Parliament and said the section 66(A) was adopted unanimously only after being subjected to such process.
He said even the Centre had not made any statement before Supreme Court accusing him or his party DMK of any ulterior motive.
"Bhardwaj making such baseless allegation against me after also being responsible for the enactment of the act in his capacity as the then then Law Minister did not befit the office he held," Raja said.

He said such enactments of laws should be considered a collective decision of the cabinet and blaming an individual was against democratic norms.