Activists in the city on Sunday joined the net neutrality debate raging across the country by staging a demonstration demanding unfettered access to the Internet.
Activists of Free Software Hardware Movement and Pondicherry Science Forum on Sunday staged their protest in front of the Head Post Office against moves to filter access to the web.
Demanding that the Centre protect net neutrality, the protesters alleged that some telecom providers were trying to divide Internet by blocking some applications and websites with the objective of extracting more money from the users.
This was in violation of net neutrality and would become unaffordable for a large number of people by denying them Internet access.
Net neutrality is the basis of the present Internet. It accorded equal treatment for all Internet traffic enabling growth of Start-ups and new services, said a spokesperson of Pondicherry Science Forum.
However, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) proposed decision to regulate services will slow down the development of the Internet.
There should be no discrimination and rights of consumers to Internet should be protected, he added.
