New Delhi: The CPI(M) Thursday proposed curbing of mass surveillance, statutory minimum wage of not less than Rs 18,000 per month and checking monopolies over telecom and internet service platforms in its manifesto for the coming LS election. This is the first time when the Left party has mentioned digital rights of citizens in its manifesto.
The CPI(M) said it would recognise digital infrastructure as public infrastructure and stop mass surveillance by state agencies under section 69 of the IT Act.
“There should be clear provisions and judicial supervision of any surveillance that violates citizens privacy. Enact data privacy laws that protect the people against appropriation/misuse of users private data for commercial use,” said CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury while releasing the manifesto along with Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat, Prakash Karat and Nilotpal Basu.
He said the party would curb monopoly of some telecom majors. The manifesto also proposed the scrapping of the use of Aadhaar and biometrics for all social welfare measures, repeal/amend the National Security Act, section 499 of IPC (relating to defamation) and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). —Agencies
