The very controversial video-sharing social media platform, TikTok, is approaching the top Supreme Court counsels to contest against the Central Government’s order to ban them in the country beside other 58 Chinese apps citing “security concerns”, on Monday, June 29. The video-sharing app which had billions of users in the country had to bear the brunt for allegedly posing threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
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“#Update | Government of India Bans 59 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order,” read the tweet by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, on Monday, June 29.
#Update | Government of India Bans 59 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. Read the press release by @PIB_India for more details – https://t.co/LcIuXOnlfK
— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) June 29, 2020
TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps were delisted from Google Playstore and Apple’s Appstore in India the next day itself. The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in India also blocked users’ access to these banned entities’ websites and apps. The news jolted the most renowned and controversial video-sharing app, TikTok, the most, at least it seems to be. The parent company, ByteDance India, is now, reportedly, planning to challenge the centre’s order in the apex court of the country.
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The most challenging task for the company is to find a well-deserved counsel who can forward their plea before the apex court. The company, reportedly, approached former Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohatgi, on Wednesday, July 1, to contest their suit in the apex court, however, Rohatgi refused to represent them.
Mukul Rohatgi, former Attorney General of India, refuses to appear for Tik Tok, says he won't appear for the Chinese app against the Government of India. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/Pds2ZuUDii
— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2020
The company has also approached senior advocate and Congress party leader, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who also stepped back from appearing in the apex court for TikTok.
“I will not be appearing for TikTok. I had appeared for them in a case one year ago and won in Supreme Court. I do not intend to appear in this one,” stated Singhvi while refuting the speculations that he might accept TikTok’s offer, quoted ANI.
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India Bans 59 Chinese Apps citing “Security” Concerns, China alleges ‘Move Instigated by US’
Another senior counsel, Aman Singh, also revealed that he was approached by the Chinese app owner, however, he has denied to proceed with it. “I was also requested through a junior lawyer to appear for Tik Tok which I have FLATLY REFUSED.,” read the tweet from senior advocate of Supreme Court, Aman Singh.
I was also requested through a junior lawyer to appear for Tik Tok which I have FLATLY REFUSED. https://t.co/84EMEus9RA
— Aman Sinha 🇮🇳 (@AmanSinhaLaw) July 1, 2020
The TikTok website, on June 30, had posted a message for the users landing on its page that it adheres to the ban imposed by the central government of India. The company said in it’s statement that it doesn’t share any user data with its origin country, China, as it places high importance on the user’s privacy and integrity.
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“Further, if we are requested to in the future we would not do so. We place the highest importance on user privacy and integrity. TikTok has democratised the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages, with hundreds of millions of users, artists, story-tellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first-time internet users,” read the statement from the company, quoted ANI.
