West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday expressed concern over the Narendra Modi government's move to change laws to control the Internet and urged leaders of all political parties to strongly oppose it.
With general elections round the corner, she questioned the timing of the move and said it was aimed at "censoring speech".
"We are extremely concerned and worried about the central government's sudden interest in controlling the Internet. I have been reading about the changes the BJP government wants to make to the laws which govern the Internet," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle adding that she would ask her MPs to raise the issue in the Parliament.
"I request all political leaders to strongly oppose this wrong policy change at this crucial time. I will ask my MPs to raise this in Parliament as well," she said.
Banerjee said that the democracy and power of the people should not be curtailed.
"We can't let Indian democracy and power of people on social media to be censored. What is the need to change the laws now before the elections? Are they trying to censor speech?" she said.
Banerjee wondered if the BJP was "worried" as "social media is now becoming the real media where people express their views" and the BJP was scared of "the free flow of ideas and criticism of their bad policies".