Wrote letters to the ECI & VS speaker seeking clarification and action on the issue
Punjab Newsline, Jalandhar-
Former Education Minister and MLA Pargat Singh has raised a serious and sensitive issue by writing a letter to the Election Commission. He has demanded clarification and directives on this matter from the Election Commission. He has also written a letter to Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan.
In these letters, he has accused the Aam Aadmi Party of illegally issuing copyright strikes from its official page on social media channels, leading to their suspension or deletion. He has demanded an investigation into this dictatorial decision by the government and action against those found guilty.
Mr. Singh stated that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab is using photos and videos from the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, along with images related to the Chief Minister's official duties, from its official social media platforms to initiate copyright strikes. As a result, some independent media platforms and journalists' social media accounts, which have been raising legitimate questions about government policies or misuse of government resources, have been suspended or shut down.
He described this as a dictatorial approach by the government against independent media. He questioned the Election Commission whether photos and videos from the Vidhan Sabha can be used by any political party to initiate copyright strikes.
In his letter, he stated that this is a serious question: photos and videos from the Punjab Vidhan Sabha are not the private property of any political party. Under Section 17(D) of the Copyright Act, 1957, the government is the first copyright owner of any work made under its order, supervision, or expense. Therefore, photos and videos taken inside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha are government property, not the property of any political party.
Pargat Singh said that in this context, any political party's attempt to claim copyright over these government activities to suppress critics is not only illegal but also raises serious questions about the impartiality of the Vidhan Sabha and the democratic system. He stated that the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is a shared institution of all MLAs and the people of Punjab. Using its images or proceedings for the political interests of one party is against the rules.
Pargat Singh, also strongly condemned the bomb blast on the railway track near Sirhind last night. This incident clearly highlights the failure of the Aam Aadmi Party government and the Punjab Police. Law and order in the state has completely collapsed. He said that the campaign against gangsters is merely a show. These are ongoing actions and should not be treated as mere incidents.