IT panel modifies agenda for crucial meet amid pressure from NDA

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put pressure on the standing committee on information technology (IT) to modify its agenda for two days of meetings of the parliamentary committee whose senior leaders have been sparring over a series of issues related to the committee, including the role of panel’s chairman, Shashi Tharoor.

A revised notice for the meeting on 1 September has officially dropped the words “UT of Jammu and Kashmir” with respect to the discussion on suspension of telecom and internet services, which had been criticized by BJP members in the panel. The revised agenda for 2 September meeting, where Facebook officials have been summoned, has been made expansive by calling subject experts to speak on the issue of safeguarding the rights of citizens and preventing misuse of online news media platforms.

“Committees such as these have wide-ranging powers, and (discussing) unilateral suspension, particularly of internet services, is pretty much in its ambit. We are still looking at the issue in Bihar and Delhi and the dropping of Jammu & Kashmir could be because of the views conveyed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. We feel it shows the flexibility of taking a step back if norms do not permit it,” a senior Opposition member from the panel said requesting anonymity.

The development is significant as it comes against the backdrop of the Speaker writing to heads of parliamentary committees not to discuss matters that are sub judice. Members of the panel feel the message going out could be that if something is out of the ambit of norms and rules, the topic could be avoided.

The meeting is also important because the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) along with like-minded parties has got the support of at least 19 members of the 30-member House panel.

The home department of Bihar had responded with its views justifying the suspension and so the focus will be on it and Delhi, said another member. “This, however, has no connection with calling officials related to Facebook. I think that issue is more or less settled but we will get to know only when the meeting takes place,” the second member of the panel said.

Interestingly, the modified agenda for 2 September has called Nikhil Pahwa, digital rights activist and journalist, as well as author Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, both of whom had appeared last week at a meeting of the peace and harmony committee of the Delhi legislative Assembly, which is looking into Facebook’s alleged inaction to tackle harmful content.

anuja@livemint.com