Opposition protests against sharing citizens' personal data

Many MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex against the alleged sharing of personal data to PSU's

Opposition party MPs on Wednesday staged a protest in the Parliament complex here against the alleged sharing of personal data of citizens and selling of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) by the Centre.

TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra and RJD MP Manoj Jha were present during the protest.

Holding placards and posters, the leaders of various political parties demanded enactment of Data Protection Law, raising slogans "BJP -- don't cheat citizens', "Don't cheat Young India' and 'Stop stealing personal data".

Meanwhile, another cluster of MP's was protesting against the selling of PSUs by the Centre with placards saying, 'No to the privatisation of PSUs', 'Don't sell off PSUs', 'Under Modi regime-country for sale'.

"Today CPM, CPI, RJD and NCP are holding this demonstration so that government do not sell Public Sector Undertakings. The PSUs are the heart of the nation, now they (Centre) are saying all public sectors will go one by one. They are selling them at cheap rates to people like Ambani and Adani. We want to save PSUs," one of the protestors said.

"We all protesting against the reckless decision taken in regards to PSUs. Mr Modi and his government are taking action against PSUs which is not in favour of the public," another protestor said.

On July 8, the TMC MPs walked out of Rajya Sabha protesting against the Centre's decision to disinvest 42 Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and opposed the government's move in Lok Sabha.

The draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 ensures data privacy to every citizen. It aims to balance the growth of the digital economy and data use as a tool of communication between persons with a statutory regime to protect the autonomy of individuals from encroachments by the state and private entities.

Earlier this month, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that the government will bring a comprehensive data protection law.

"Data sovereignty is integral to us and it will never be compromised," he said.

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