Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney has urged Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take immediate action against the dissemination of offensive and incendiary content targeting the Akal Takht, the Jathedars, and revered Sikh institutions on social media.
Sahney emphasized the need to address such content swiftly under the IT Act to ensure accountability and the removal of unlawful material that could incite religious sentiments and disrupt communal harmony.
He expressed concerns about the coordinated nature of these posts, suggesting potential amplification by the ruling dispensation in Punjab, and submitted a dossier of objectionable screenshots containing abusive and provocative comments against the Jathedar Sahib and Sikh institutions.
Sahney highlighted the detrimental impact of such content on the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide, warning of its potential to disrupt communal peace and public order. He underscored the importance of preventing online hate speech and the misuse of digital platforms for spreading communal discord.
The MP referenced his efforts in Parliament to introduce the Online Hate Speech (Prevention) Bill, 2024, advocating for a robust legal framework to combat hate speech on digital platforms and urging the government to enhance mechanisms for swift action against content inciting hatred or targeting religious communities.
Sahney stressed the significance of upholding India’s ethos of mutual respect for all faiths while safeguarding freedom of expression, cautioning against the vilification of religious institutions or deliberate provocations that undermine social harmony and public trust in digital platforms.
