AGARTALA, Jan 16 (TIWN): In 2020, 29th October, Supreme Court of India securing the ‘free speech’ told all the State Govt’s “Do not Cross the limits". A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee said, “Do not cross the line. Let India remain a free country. We, as the Supreme Court, are here to protect free speech. The reason why the SC was created by the Constitution is to ensure that ordinary citizens are not harassed by the state”. But Tripura in the last four years has witnessed extreme intolerance by the Govt of Tripura led by CM Biplab Deb against social media users. Even BJP’s own party members were not spared from unconstitutional attacks by police and administration over social media posts.

Not only social media, but local media in Tripura also alleged for being harassed, journalists faced brutal physical attacks without receiving any justice as the Govt gave a free-hands to the party backed criminals.

The Supreme Court’s order gets grounded after BJP MLA Arun Bhowmik’s daughter was harassed by police in her in-law’s house, leading the MLA himself to criticize the Govt and policing.

Back on 23 November of 2018, a man named Dipak Debnath was arrested for sharing Tripurainfoway.com’s news on his social media where BJP MLA Krishnadhan Das’s alleged fake degrees were questioned. The man was arrested at night 2 am without any FIR. On the next day morning, Police lodged the FIR without any proper ground to show the Court.

Political party activists saw a rapid rise in arrests for social media posts.

On 2020, 29th October, the Supreme Court sent out a loud message to state governments: “We cannot have citizens hauled from one corner of the country to another for a social media post criticizing the government.” The stern warning was prompted by Bengal Police issuing summons to a Delhi resident who had criticized the state government for non-enforcement of lockdown norms.

Dipak Debnath was produced before the Court on 24th November 2018. Court immediately gave him bail but the man disappeared from the limelight after the incident, refused to talk to the media.