The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is yet to block 10 Facebook accounts with content “creating religious disharmony,” despite the Mangaluru police intimating it four months ago.
On November 14, Mangaluru Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar wrote to B.K. Murthy, Group Coordinator, Cyber Law, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, informing him of the October 14, 2016 order of the 2nd Judicial magistrate first class court, Mangaluru, to block the Facebook accounts in the name of Jabbar B.C. Road, Mangalore Muslims, and eight others.
A post by the Mangalore Muslims is currently in the news after they condemned a comment by Suhana Syed, 22, of Shivamogga district in a music reality show on a private television channel. She had said her performance should inspire other women of her community to display their talent.
Court order
The magistrate court had passed the order on a requisition by the investigation officer in a case relating to objectionable posts defaming Lord Rama and Durgaparameshwari on the Facebook account Jabbar B.C. Road. Following the arrest of a person in the case, the officer filed an application, before the court under Rule 3 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access to Information by Public) Rules, 2009, seeking the blocking of 10 Facebook accounts. These posts were also being circulated on WhatsApp and other social media networks, the officer said.
Mr. Sekhar said told The Hindu that they were awaiting action by the Ministry.
Allowing the application, the court directed the designated authority under Rule 3 to block the Facebook accounts of Jabbar B.C. Road, Jabbar Kudroli, Manzin Manglauru, Shafi B.M., Sooraj Ganiga Mitturu, Muslim Yuwa Sene, Mangalore Muslims, Nanobba Katta Byari, Mikaltho Byari, and Nanobba Hindu. The Magistrate also directed the Facebook office in Mumbai to take the same action.
