For the last few days, the Andhra Pradesh government led by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been cracking whip on social media activists of YSR Congress party for posting abusive and vulgar comments against political rivals and their families on social media.
The YSRCP, too, has reacted strongly to this alleged witch-hunt by the Naidu government and its attempt to stifle the voice of those who are questioning the government.YSRCP president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has also appointed district-wise special teams of the party leaders to stand by the social media teams of the party and extend them legal support.
Against this backdrop, Jana Sena Party president and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan came up with an interesting suggestion to control the social media, which crosses line in abusing the political leaders.
He suggested that the government enact a new legislation with stringent laws to contain the abusive and obscene content on social media. A bill should be introduced by the home department in this regard and can be passed after a thorough discussion, after a legal scrutiny.
The bill, Social Media Abuse Protection Bill, would help prevent misuse of digital platform by some political party activists, who are not only targeting their political rivals, but also threatening the common people.
“These social media activists are not even sparing family members of rival political leaders and are intimidating them. The bill should provide for stringent punishment for such people,” he suggested.