INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Parliament, and why the government believes it must rein in online misinformation campaign
Excerpts from the interview:The government has said it has presented a pro-poor Budget with a focus on an India of the future
What, according to you, are its highlights?In the eight years of Modi government, we have made systems transparent and accountable and
ensured last mile delivery
To this end 48 crore bank accounts were opened, 9.6 crore Ujjwala (gas) connections were given, and households were given electricity
Over three crore houses were built in last eight years and six crore water connections were handed out in two years
The Budget set aside Rs 10 lakh crore as capital expenditure, a 33% increase
Railway outlay grew nine-times from 2013-14 to Rs 2.4 lakh crore, highest-ever for it
Allocations for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana also rose 66% to Rs 79,000 crore
Put together, India is looking at a great railway network, house to every poor, and capital expenditure that will lead to greater job
Every sector has been taken care of
There are 80 lakh self-help groups, which translate to nine crore women, who will be further linked to the market and given more
opportunities to become entrepreneurs.By investing more during the last two years, we have seen greater job creation
EPFO numbers have doubled, more roads and rail lines are laid each day and infrastructure is getting better day by day
That is how more jobs are created and more investment is coming in
Average per-capita income doubled in eight years
A holistic approach has been taken to address rural and urban needs while keeping an eye on green economy, green investments and green jobs
questions on the controversy surrounding Adani
and RBI have each issued a statement on this issue
RBI has taken note of the situation and made a statement after checking facts from the banks concerned
Rather than making it a political issue, opposition should look at the facts
The Budget is a very important document for the entire nation and even more so for MPs, who are public representatives
I think the opposition should speak and debate on such issues rather than just trying to disrupt Parliament
They are free to raise issues and hold discussions during the Budget debate
over the last seven sessions, hampering work
These restrictions remain even though Covid-19 protocols are no longer being followed
What measures will you take to restore normalcy and help the media do its job?This comes under the purview of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
truth has led to concerns over press freedom and the ability to comment on or criticise the government
Why are the rules being implemented through executive orders rather than by bringing them to Parliament where they can be discussed
threadbare? Why should government fact-check things that are written about it?The concerns are unwarranted and ill founded
IT Rules are framed after due consultation with stakeholders and are very balanced
As for the PIB Fact Check, it is not new
It has been in operation since 2019 and done exemplary work in countering misinformation especially during the time of Covid-19 pandemic
No country can afford to allow an infodemic to spread
The government is duty bound to prevent both circulation and amplification of malicious disinformation.Recently, you had to step in to
address concerns raised by athletes related to Wrestling Federation of India
Would you say the issues have been settled for good?Not really
A committee has been formed to look into the grievances
This is still work in progress and they will examine the allegations that have been levelled as well as delve deeper into the working of the
They will try and bring more transparency and accountability into the system and fix things if anything is found wanting.
