Law of Land is Supreme, Twitter Must Follow Rule: New IT Minister

Ashwini Vaishnaw's comment comes amid an ongoing tussle between the Centre and Twitter.

Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday, 7 July, was given the charge of the Ministry of Railways as well as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Ashwini Vaishnaw)

Taking oath as the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Thursday, 8 July, said that Twitter must follow the new IT Rules.

“Law of land is supreme, Twitter must follow rule.”

Ashwini Vaishnaw, as quoted by media reports

The new IT minister's comment comes amid an ongoing tussle between the Centre and the microblogging site.

MEANWHILE

Meanwhile, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, the newly-appointed Minister of State for Information Technology, on being asked about the tussle with Twitter, told ANI:

"I have just taken charge. The Ministry doesn't operate on a unilateral basis and this has nothing to do with individual views and opinions. The Ministry will sit with the new Union Minister and address all these issues."

Twitter on Thursday, 8 July, told the Delhi High Court that it will appoint a grievance redressal office within 'eight weeks'.

Twitter also informed the court that it is setting up a liaison office in India, in compliance with the new IT Rules 2021. This office will be their permanent physical contact.

The Centre had on Monday, 5 July, told the Delhi High Court that Twitter had failed to comply with IT Rules 2021 as on 1 July, leading to a loss of its immunity as an "intermediary".

WHO IS ASHWINI VAISHNAW?

Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday, 7 July, was given the charge of the Ministry of Railways as well as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, after the Prime Minister's first Cabinet reshuffle in his second term.

A member of the BJP, the newly-inducted Union Minister has been serving as a representative of Odisha in the Rajya Sabha since June 2019.

Vaishnaw has taken over the duties of former Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal, and former Union Minister RS Prasad — who had resigned from his post, ahead of the Cabinet expansion on Wednesday.

After taking over as the Railway Minister, Vaishnaw was quoted by ANI, as saying:

"Railway is a major part of PM Modi's vision. His vision for railways is to transform the lives of the people, that everyone – common man, farmers, the poor – get the benefit of the railways. I will work for that vision."

(With inputs from ANI and Business Standard.)