Rahul strikes again: Bats for net neutrality, asks 'suit boot sarkar' not to give Internet to corporates

Rahul strikes again: Bats for net neutrality, asks 'suit boot sarkar' not to give Internet to corporates

FP Staff April 22, 2015, 13:31:06 IST

Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha today brought up the controversial Net Neutrality issue. However, he spared a few words for the Prime Minister first, showering Modi with praises.

Advertisement
Rahul strikes again: Bats for net neutrality, asks 'suit boot sarkar' not to give Internet to corporates

Rahul Gandhi made yet another speech in Lok Sabha today, this time focusing on the controversial Net Neutrality issue, where he accused the ‘suit boot’ BJP government of batting for corporates once more. This time he alleged, it was trying to carve up the Internet for the benefit of corporates.

However, he began with a few words for the Prime Minister first, showering Modi with praises.

Advertisement
Screen grab from Lok Sabha.

“I want to talk about your PM again, you will like what I’m about to say,” said the straight faced Congress president. “Okay not your PM ours,” he added as the Opposition started to make noise trying to deter him from continuing.

“Last night I was at the Congress President’s house and I happened to glance at Time magazine where Obama ji has praised Modi ji.”

“Shayad Gorbachev kay baad, kisi kii bhi itni prashansa nahii kii jitni America kay President nay PM kay barey mey kii” (After Gorbachev no other President has complimented a Prime Minister this much), he added.

Rahul Gandhi then moved on to tackle the Net Neutrality issue. “Har ek yuva ko net par adhikar hona chahiye,” he said to the House. “I would request the government to stop TRAI’s decision and not only that but I ask the government to please change the law or write a new law on net neutrality,”

Advertisement

He reserved his strongest punch for his closing statement, when he said, “More than one million people are fighting for net neutrality and the government is trying to carve out the net and hand it over to the corporates.”

IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad did not let the comments go unaddressed and countered the statement. “Since Rahul Gandhi has brought up Net Neutrality, we would like to know in 2012 how and why the UPA govt blocked twitter handles”, he said.

Advertisement

“Our PM has said that everyone should have access to the internet and in the world, on the social media, our PM is very respected,” he said.

“The PM has spoken about digital India and all the citizens should have internet access. TRAI can make a recommendation under the TRAI act but the final decision rests with the government and nobody else,”  he added.

Advertisement

“As far as the issue of net neutrality is concerned, for internet expansion in India, the young people of the country have done a commendable job and my government will strive to ensure a non-discriminatory availability of Internet for the people of India, particularly the young people”.

He added that he wanted to assure the people of India, the Prime Minister himself is a great supporter of the profound activism of Indian young people on social media and the great role they are playing. It is a sensitive issue on which we need to take a proper, informed decision. The larger commitment of my government, on which I am very active is, we need to strive for a non-discriminatory Internet availability."

Advertisement

When Rahul tried to respond to Ravi Shankar Prasad’s statements, the House was in complete uproar and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, struggled to bring it under control.

Please mujhe toh bolnay deejiye, Rahulji meri baat samajhiye, zero hour mey koi savaal javaab nahii,” (Please let me speak, Rahulji understand what I am saying, there is no question and answers in Zero hour),  she said.

Advertisement

However Rahul spoke to journalists outside Parliament, saying that he was fighting on behalf of the youth of the country. ‘‘I am fighting against the pro-industrialist government which is taking away the land of farmers. Now they are trying to take away the internet as well", he said.

You can watch Rahul Gandhi’s entire speech on Net Neutrality here:

Advertisement
Latest News

Find us on YouTube

Subscribe

Top Shows

Vantage First Sports Fast and Factual Between The Lines