The second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is literally sucking lives out of Indians and the government is caught totally unprepared of it as it they were living in another world. This has left citizens on their own to arrange everything from beds, oxygen cylinder, medicines to beds on social media.
As if the incompetence and arrogance of our leaders is not enough to kill us, they add further dictatorial flavour to it by taking action against those who criticise the government lapses and ask for help elsewhere.
The Uttar Pradesh government had recently ordered that strict civil and criminal action will be initiated against those making false appeals over social media seeking help for COVID-19.
Nowadays when the govt has left people to be ‘Atmanirbhar’ and there is no where to go to get justice, once in a while Supreme Court wakes up to people’s plight and intervenes and saves the day. The matter was heard in Supreme Court today and the court made it clear in unequivocal terms that there can be no clampdown on citizens communicating their grievances on social media as regards COVID-19.
Court also said- “Any such actions by the authorities will be treated as contempt of Supreme Court”.
The Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Ravindra Bhat.
“I flag this issue at the outset. We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media and internet then it cannot be said its wrong information. We don’t want any clampdown of information. We will treat it as a contempt of court if such grievances is considered for action,” Justice Chandrachud said.
Let a strong message go to all the States and DGP of states. Clampdown of information contrary to basic precepts, he added.
The top court is hearing a suo motu case initiated by it to examine issues relating to management of COVID-19 situation in the country.
