Vinton Gray “vint”cerf recognized as “father of internet” sharing this title with American computer scientist Bob Kahn argued access to the internet should not be considered as human right because it is a basic human need like water. Cerf says internet is enabler of right not the right itself. Civil rights protect people from unwarranted discrimination or repression from government or private organizations. That’s not quite what we need to protect the internet. In UK water supply companies cannot cut off its supply even the bills go unpaid because according to UK Govt water is essential for public health. Cerf says without water, we die, without access to the internet, our access to knowledge dies; we need both to survive and thrive.

Today it is not a wonder that the popular search engine “Google” is synonymous for “internet” or a great source of online knowledge and Indian Govt.’s ongoing debate on blocking Google and few other social networking website will be like snatching the “Right to Education” from the citizens. Hope this kind of authoritarian decision should not be taken in the democratic India just for serving some political agendas by banning “ right to express” from the people.

 -Neeta Jain