X can go to court; but everyone is equal before the law – Rajeev Chandrasekhar reminds Elon Musk.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister, reminded that while X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, has every right to approach the country's courts on issues they disagree with, they must also recognize that everyone is equal before the law.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized that all social media platforms must be safe and trustworthy, a principle that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has clearly stated. His remarks referred to X's petition to the Karnataka High Court on March 20, challenging the use of Section 79 of the IT Act as unlawful.

He asserted that Indian laws apply equally to everyone, but X has the right and freedom to approach the courts if they believe any regulation is unlawful.

The government has already made it clear that social media platforms operating in India cannot function on an experimental basis. Rajeev Chandrasekhar recalled that he personally reiterated this in January 2024 during his tenure as a minister. If platforms are experimental, they are obligated to disclose this fact, he added.

He further stated that platforms using artificial intelligence to adopt misleading practices are unacceptable in India. "This is India, not China," he remarked.