Image Representing Death of Freedom of Speech By The Kolkata Police; Notice Sent To Many Protestors

Death of Freedom of Speech By The Kolkata Police; Notice Sent To Many Protestors

Kolkata Police Cyber Cell Criticized for Silencing Public Outcry Over R.G. Kar College Rape Case, Raises Concerns Over Free Spee

by Nagpur Trends Team | Published on 2024-08-16 23:37:42

A recent incident involving the rape of Moumita Debnath at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata has brought back painful memories of the Nirbhaya case, which shook the conscience of the entire nation. However, instead of addressing public outrage and concerns over the issue, the Kolkata Police Cyber Cell appears to be targeting those who are raising their voices against the incident and exposing the shortcomings of the police department. The Cyber Cell has labeled these posts as "offensive, malicious, and inciting" and has sent notices under Section 168 of the BNSS 2023 to numerous Twitter users.

This approach by the Kolkata Police Cyber Cell raises serious concerns about the right to free speech in India. While the police struggle to manage the chaos and vandalism at the hospital, their cyber division seems more focused on silencing citizens who are protesting online. The irony lies in the fact that major social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram have mechanisms in place to remove genuinely harmful content. However, because these posts are expressions of free speech for many, it's likely that social media companies would reject such takedown requests.

In an even more striking twist, a tweet by journalist Barkha Dutt received a warning from the Cyber Cell rather than a formal notice. This raises questions about whether the law is being selectively applied to target ordinary social media users and critics of the police, including those who have criticized Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's handling of the situation. Simply sharing a video of the incident has led to several users receiving notices from the police.

If the Kolkata Police is so confident that these users are violating the law, why haven't they requested social media platforms to remove the content or suspend the accounts? The likely reason is that these requests would probably be denied by the platforms as baseless.

Digital activists should consider filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Kolkata Police in the Supreme Court.  Many users have removed the content scared by the Kolkata Police. Shefali Vaidya was served notice by the Kolkata Police After Which She Removed The Content and was scared from the Police. See her Tweet Below:

BJP Politician Amit Malviya Who Also Has Received The Letter From Kolkata Police, Mentioned about a similar incident where a print reporter has deleted her account after being serve notice by the Kolkata Police Cyber Cell.

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