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Net Neutrality: Government promises 'non-discriminatory' access to internet in Rajya Sabha

Government on Tuesday promised to ensure "non-discriminatory access to internet" to all citizens as members cutting across party lines in Rajya Sabha slammed TRAI for its consultation paper that sparked off a debate over net-neutrality.

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Government on Tuesday promised to ensure "non-discriminatory access to internet" to all citizens as members cutting across party lines in Rajya Sabha slammed TRAI for its consultation paper that sparked off a debate over net-neutrality.

"Government stands for ensuring non-discriminatory access to internet for all citizens of the country...It is committed to the fundamental principles and concept of net neutrality, keeping the internet accessible and available to all without discrimination," IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while replying to a Calling Attention Motion.

"Connectivity to internet must go in an unhindered manner...I assure the House that the key principles of net neutrality will be followed while following concerns with a national outlook," he said. Unlike the government-opposition clash during a debate on the issue in Lok Sabha when Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had raised it a fortnight back, the Upper House today saw an unanimity on the issue.

Members from all parties including BJP and Shiv Sena voiced their concerns on the matter, noting which Prasad said, "net neutrality is party neutral, ideology neutral... Today the entire House has spoken in one voice... substance without flamboyance is the hallmark of this House." The debate saw members comparing net neutrality to supply of electricity and water in a house on which separate tariff cannot be put based on the use of electronic gadgets or the location of water taps.

A BJP member drew parallel of the fight for net neutrality with Mahatma Gandhi's salt agitation during freedom struggle and dubbed telecom companies as "Shylock" and "sharks". Derek O' Brien (Trinamool Congress), who had moved the Calling Attention Motion, accused the TRAI of "compromising with the privacy" of people by putting out the mail IDs of 10 lakh people who gave their suggestions to its consultation paper.

He demanded an assurance from the Minister that no action will be taken on the TRAI's recommendation on this matter without taking Parliament's consent. As Prasad argued that a study across 86 countries says that 74 percent of nations lack clear and effective net neutrality, members insisted that this should not be used as a ground for not having a legislative measure to protect net neutrality.

Replying to it, the minister said, "Do we need some kind of a legal architecture? Whether we need to have a law or not is a matter of consultation." Prasad said he had formed a committee on the issue of net neutrality in January and its report was expected by the month end. "Allow that process to be completed. Once the report comes, the government will then take a structured view on the way forward," he said.
 

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