New Delhi: The Supreme Court while hearing a Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind petition against fake and motivated news during the Nizammuddin Markaz incident, cited the Internet ban as a preventive measure to contain violence, taken by the authorities during farmers protest in Delhi on January 26.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde emphasized that at some point in time the government has to control news and cited the shutting down of Internet in various parts of the capital following violence on streets on Republic Day.
The Chief Justice said the government shut down the Internet over mobile because of the farmers visit to Delhi and so “couldn’t it do the same when it finds certain news channel indulging in bad reporting, which may lead to violence or targeting a certain community”.
“I’m using the non controversial term… You have shut down internet mobile…These are problems that can arise anywhere…,” said the Chief Justice.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, objected to the word ‘visit’ used by the Chief Justice.
To which, Chief Justice replied that he “deliberately was using a non-controversial word”.
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