The Apex Court on Friday came done heavily on some state governments that were taking action against people seeking help for medical assistance or oxygen supplies for their families or friends, charging them for spreading misinformation. Lately, social media has been one great medium for Covid patients or their families or independent volunteers to amplify their appeal to get medical assistance.
The Supreme Court raised the issue of the threat of civil or criminal action against people putting SOS messages on social media asking for help with regards to oxygen supply shortage or availability of medicines.
The Supreme Court said, “We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media and the internet, then it cannot be said its wrong information.”
In a strongly-worded statement, the Supreme Court on Friday added, “Let a strong message go across to all states that we will consider it a contempt of this court if any citizen is harassed for making a plea on social media/media for making an appeal for oxygen/beds etc. Clampdown on information contrary to basic precepts. No state can clampdown on information.”
Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice S Ravindra Bhat, hearing the suo moto case related to Covid-19 issues on Friday, stated to all states and DGP of states.
“We are not projecting ourselves in a bad light, we are projecting information. We are in a position of a national crisis. Let us hear the voices of our citizens,” the Supreme Court further added.
The second wave of Covid-19 in India has been devastating, to say the least. With the availability of hospital beds, as well as medical supplies, reportedly limited, this has forced people who are infected or their families to post appeals on various social media platforms for oxygen supplies and other medical assistance.
In these times, some state governments like the UP government were clamping down on Covid patients or their families to appeal for help on social media. Some reports claim the state government was charging people under the false pretext of spreading misleading information online to tarnish the government image.
Social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, have become a steady front that’s coming forward to get help to whoever requires it. There are thousands of users posting their medical requirements, including shortage of oxygen supply or bed availability in a hospital. The good thing is celebrities and influencers are amplifying the social posts so that help reaches people at the right time.
There have been many posts on social media platforms sharing their experience in hospitals with limited availability of medical supplies and, in some cases, the exorbitant price charged by hospitals. In a recent viral video, a girl from Lucknow who lost her father dared UP CM to arrest her, reacting to reports that the state government may take action against those spreading misinformation in the name of seeking help.
