Allahbadia row: Parliamentary panel on IT seeks suggestion on review of laws for OTT, other media platforms

New Delhi [India], February 13 (ANI): In the wake of the controversy surrounding social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia's recent offensive remarks on a YouTube show, the Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) has written to Information and Broadcasting (IB) Ministry to provide a brief note regarding the proposed amendments in laws related to media, sources said, to deter similar instances in the future.
The committee has also sought a note on the proposed examination of the 'Review of implementation of Laws related to all forms of Media'.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology is headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.
Sources said the parliamentary panel has requested a brief note regarding the amendments required in all the laws (Act. Code, Guidelines, etc.) related to media due to emergence of new forms of technology and media platforms.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has been urged to provide the brief note by February 17.
The committee noted that with the emergence of new forms of technology and media platforms, the Ministry should examine the need for strengthening measures.
The committee has directed the Ministry to respond by February 17 with details on amendments required to existing laws.
The controversy erupted after a remark made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia in a recent episode on 'India's got Latent'.
A formal complaint was subsequently filed against Allahbadia, social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, Raina, and the organizers of 'India's Got Latent.'
Allahbadia shared a one-minute video on his X account apologising for his comments on the show. "I shouldn't have said what I said on India's got latent. I'm sorry," he wrote.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Thursday apprised about the IT standing committee's meeting, saying that the matter has been taken up at the highest level as members across party lines demanded strong measures to ensure that such incidents don't recur.
The BJD leader said that Nishikant Dubey, chairman of the standing committee for communications and IT and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP in Lok Sabha, has taken a strong view on the matter.
"The committee started its deliberations today. The chairman was very kind to allow members of the committee to raise if they had any concerns regarding this issue. Several members cutting across party lines raised this issue and expressed the need to actually take strong, stringent measures to ensure that such things do not recur. The Chairman has also taken a very strong view of this. The committee is seized of the matter, and the representatives from the ministry were also there in this committee meeting, and this matter has been taken up at the highest level," Patra told ANI.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Rabindra Narayan Behera said that some restrictions should be imposed on social media platforms. Commenting on the remarks made by social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia, Behera said that such remarks destroy the culture.
"We have raised a lot of issues -streamlining social media, streamlining OTT platforms, streamlining other social media platforms, some restrictions should be there, and social media guidelines should be structured. I have also demanded for creating volunteers by ministry for social media guidelines. And Prasar Bharti, Doordarshan and All India Radio, they should teach the public about social media guidelines. Above all, Ranveer Allahbadia's statement should be banned, and there will be a discussion on how to punish him. There will be new rules for punishment because such remarks will destroy our culture," Behera, who is a member of the standing committee for communications and IT, told ANI. (ANI)