Congress attacks PM Narendra Modi after Silicon Valley visit; flays apparent inclination towards Internet.org

NEW DELHI: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in India after his maiden Silicon Valley visit, the Opposition has attacked the government's apparent inclination towards Facebook's rechristened internet.org programme, fanning the debate around net neutrality, which they feel may be compromised in a bid to realise the objectives of Digital India.

In a letter addressed to Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the pursuit of universalizing Internet access should not be "held hostage by a few foreign corporations".

Facebook's Internet.org, which has been renamed " Free Basics", aims to provide free access to basic Internet services by partnering with telecom companies.

Such practices, commonly referred to as "zero-rating", refers to a company letting users access select applications free of data charges by striking deals with telecom operators.

The net neutrality dialogue in India has hotly debated zero rating practices which are seen as a “walled garden” that would provide selective Internet access to people who sign up.

Facebook had rolled out internet.org in India last year with telecom operator Reliance, and came under fire from several quarters who said the initiative violates the principle of net neutrality or enabling equal Internet access for everyone.

"Any endeavour that promotes Digital India should in no uncertain terms be at odds with the spirit of an open internet," said Patel in the letter.

Though the government did not take an explicit stand on zero rating during the visit, a controversy erupted in India when Facebook’s launch of a profile picture tool to support the Digital India programme was seen as supporting internet.org.