Kerala CM defends ordinance against 'offensive posts'; says 'Can criticize within limits'

Defending Kerala's new ordinance against offending someone, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday, said that new amendment 'will t curb press freedom'. Claiming that government h responsibility of protecting individual liberty along with press freedom, Vijayan said new act won't be against 'impartial media' or 'free speech'. He ded that one could criticise 'within limits of Constitution and legal system'.

Vijayan: 'Can criticise within Constitutional limits'

" new amendment to Kerala Police Act will t in any way be used against free speech or impartial media activity. Anyone is free to make any strong criticism within limits of Constitution and legal system. In dition to media freedom, government has a responsibility to protect individual liberty and dignity guaranteed by Constitution," said Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

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What is Kerala's ordinance on 'offensive' talk?

On Saturday, Kerala Goverr Arif Mohammed Khan signed Kerala Police Act Amendment ordinance that incorporates a new Section 118 (A). amendment to police act says that if government finds any media platform including social media producing, publishing, or propagating content that could threaten, insult or harm an individual, y will be punished with a fine of Rs 10,000, imprisonment of five years or both. LDF government has said that this amendment was done to 'control cyberbullying'. Kerala DGP Lokanath Behera said that a special Standard Operating Procedure will be prepared before taking action on amendment to ensure ordinance is t 'misused'.

Kerala govt brings ordinance punishing 'offensive' talk with jail, Chidambaram 'shocked'

Congress & BJP questions LDF government

Reacting to ordinance, Congress senior leer and former Union Minister P Chidambaram expressed his shock and asked if CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury will defend "atrocious decision". Similarly, Kerala BJP President K Surendran said that CM was ' trying to control social & mainstream media by bringing this draconian Act'. Incidentally, CPI-M manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls pledged to repeal Section 499 of IPC related to defamation, however, this ordinance empowers police to act of 'defamation'.

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Supreme Court's verdict on IT act

In 2015, Supreme Court h struck down section 66-A of IT Act and Section 118(D) of Kerala Police Act as unconstitutional and h stated that it was against freedom of expression. However, LDF government of Kerala claims that Centre has t introduced any or legal framework in place of act and in such a scenario, police are "unable to deal effectively with crimes committed through social media". Several rights activists and lawyers are planning to challenge ordinance.

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