Trinamool not monitoring social media: Derek O'Brien

In wake of controversy surrounding the arrest of a professor for allegedly posting an internet cartoon of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress on Monday ruled out setting up a mechanism to monitor social media. "Let me categorically state that the Trinmool Congress never had nor does it intend to have any cell to monitor social media," Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien told PTI. On reports that the party has established cells to monitor social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter, the party's cyber team head said, "these rumours are being spread by those with other agendas. The freedom of the press is non-negotiable". The party has come in for severe criticism from the opposition and a section of academia for attacking freedom of speech and expression by arresting professor of Jadavpore University Ambikesh Mohapatra last week. The cartoons lampooned Mamata Banerjee after she forced out Dinesh Trivedi and put Mukul Roy in his place as Railway minister.