The Central Government’s decision to put on surveillance and intercept “any information” on computers, received flak from Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who on Friday came down heavily on the BJP Government for “demolishing all the democratic institutions one by one.”
Attacking the Centre for authoritising ten Central agencies to put about 20 institutions and organsations under surveillance, Mamata said, “such kind of situation can be understood when there is an emergency like situation. But how is it that the Government will interfere in every matter.”
This order of “blanket surveillance must at once be withdrawn or we will continue to agitate against it,” Mamata said adding the order is likely to take the revered pillars of the Indian democracy like the judiciary and the media under its wing “which means that they (BJP) want to hit at the very foundation of democracy in India.”
She said, “If it is for national security, then only for that purpose Central Government already has the machinery. But, why all commoners will be affected?”
Attacking the Government for not concentrating on the real issues like farmers’ suicide, unemployment, inflation corruption, Mamata said, “Instead of tackling the real issues they are trying to throttle the people’s voices. Today they are issuing these surveillance orders.
Tomorrow they will use these orders to keep a tab on the church, the media, Ramakrishna Mission, judiciary and what not. In fact, they will try to control the life of every individual. Our data will be out in public domain through this order. This cannot be tolerated.”
Attacking the Government for its faulty economic policies, she said, “GST and demonetisation had rendered thousands of people jobless and ruined the Indian economy. Wondering why the Government was not trying to correct its mistakes and attacking the people who were raising questions, she said the people were watching every move of this Government.
“They are always after the people who are questioning them. They are threatening these people with Central agencies. But this will not be allowed to continue for long. The people are watching everything and they will give them a befitting reply.”