Asaduddin Owaisi slams draft IT rules as threat to independent journalism

Hyderabad

Criticising the draft IT rules, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Central government’s approach gave an impression that they are are “allergic to free press”.

Taking to X, Mr. Owaisi, who is the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), stated that if the rules are notified, they would empower the government to ban online content published by independent journalists.

He stated that such a move would have far-reaching ramifications, especially in terms of access to information, particularly in a media landscape where a section of the audiences has been increasingly relying on independent journalists for coverage of issues.

He said that independent journalism plays a critical role in identifying and countering misinformation and disinformation, including the use of coordinated “toolkits” to spread false narratives. Without such scrutiny, he contended, the public would have limited means of verifying the authenticity of information in circulation.

He also alleged that the draft rules bypass existing orders issued by courts, and violate the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Shreya Singhal case.