Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday highlighted the urgent need to make existing laws more stringent to curb vulgar content on social media platforms.

Responding to questions by BJP MP Arun Govil in the Lok Sabha, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said: “We are living in the era of social media and OTT platforms. However, the democratic institutions and traditional forms of the press that once relied on editorial checks to ensure accountability and correctness of content, have seen these checks diminish over time.”

Vaishnaw noted that due to the absence of such editorial oversight, social media has become a platform for freedom of press on one hand, but on the other hand, it has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content.

The Union Minister urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee to take up the issue and also called for a consensus to frame more strict laws in this regard.

During question hour, the Meerut MP asked about existing mechanisms to check the illegal broadcast of vulgar and sex-related content through social media platforms and whether the government proposes to make the existing laws more stringent, keeping in view the fact that the said laws are not effective in stopping the misuse of these platforms.

“Earlier, there were editorial checks and it was decided whether something was right or wrong but those checks have ended. Today, social media is a platform for freedom of press but it is uncontrolled and there is vulgar content,” the Minister responded.

There is a need to make existing laws more stringent laws to curb vulgar content on social media platforms, Vaishnaw said amid din in the House.

Acknowledging the distinct cultural differences between India and the geographies where these platforms originated, Vaishnaw emphasised, “The cultural sensitivities of India vastly differ from those of the regions where these platforms were created. This makes it imperative for India to make existing laws more stricter and he urged everyone to come to a consensus on this matter.

“There should be societal consensus on it, along with stricter laws to address this challenge,” Vaishnaw said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to recover the cost of damages to public property from protestors involved in the Sambhal violence. The posters of stone pelters will also be displayed at prominent public locations.

In Sambhal’s Kot Garvi area, a court ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid prompted by a petition claiming a Harihar temple once stood at the site resulted in a massive violence, leaving four people dead and several injured. 

Reportedly, an official spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh government said that the state is adopting a firm stance against the individuals involved in the Sambhal violence. The official stated that the posters of stone pelters and miscreants will be displayed publicly, and recovery of damages will be sought. Furthermore, a reward may also be announced for information leading to their arrest.

Notably, the government had earlier displayed posters of individuals accused of vandalism during the anti-CAA protests in 2020, putting them across key locations including the state capital.  Nonetheless, the posters were eventually taken down following a court directive.

Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal witnessed massive violence on Sunday when a large crowd assembled near a mosque and began chanting slogans as a survey team resumed its work. The situation intensified as protesters clashed with security forces, allegedly set vehicles ablaze and hurled stones.

Reports said that the Police have arrested 25 individuals and registered seven FIRs, naming Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, the Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Sohail Iqbal, son of the party’s local MLA Iqbal Mehmood, together with more than 2,750 unidentified suspects.

Meanwhile, a magisterial inquiry is ongoing, and superintendent of police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi confirmed on Monday that the situation is now under control, ensuring that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the unrest.

The opposition parties have slammed the ruling BJP at both the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh following Sunday’s violence. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the state government of staging a riot, while senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that the ruling party was fueling divisions between Hindus and Muslims.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS of reinforcing barriers that obstruct the paths of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs. 

Addressing the Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan (Save Constitution Campaign) event at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, the Senior Congress leader said that while the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government made efforts to dismantle these barriers, it did not weaken the wall to the extent it should have.

Rahul Gandhi further said that he can guarantee that PM Modi has not read the Constitution. He continued that if the Prime Minister had read the Constitution, that he would not do what he does daily. The Leader of Opposition asserted that the Constitution is not merely a document but embodies India’s values of truth and non-violence, cultivated over thousands of years.

He also pointed out that the country’s whole system is pitted against Dalits, Adivasis, and backward class people, mentioning that a wall stands in the way of Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, and PM Modi along with the RSS are strengthening that wall by adding cement to it.

The Congress leader also reflected on the UPA’s initiatives, such as MGNREGA and the Right to Food, which he said aimed to weaken these barriers. The BJP are strengthening that wall by adding concrete, he continued.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also praised the ongoing caste census in Telangana as a significant step forward, promising that the Congress will do the same wherever it comes to power.

Additionally, Rahul Gandhi also said that many want to pursue careers in engineering or media, but systemic barriers often deny them opportunities. He added that today, there is hardly any representation of backward communities in media ownership or among anchors, which reflects the skewed opportunities available to them.

Describing the Constitution as a tool for justice, Rahul Gandhi called for a renewed focus on its values, which he said were being undermined. He mentioned that the entire system in this country is working against Dalits, Adivasis, and backward-class people, and it is their responsibility to restore the vision of the Constitution.