Temporary outage OK if Internet is abused for violence: Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi: IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday favoured uninterrupted availability of internet in Kashmir, but justified "temporary intervention" when the Internet or social media is abused for violence and hatred.

"The problem is that at times the Internet and social media ... At times they are abused for violence and for encouraging hatred. So, temporary intervention has to be there. But I do take your point that Kashmir does need proper uninterrupted availability of internet ... I take that point," the Minister said speaking at `Raisina Dialogue' here.

The Minister was replying to a question from the audience that while Digital India is growing there is internet ban in Kashmir "many times a year".

"..So how it will function in Kashmir when there is an internet ban all the time," said the young man who asked the question.

To another query on Donald Trump taking charge as the US President tomorrow and the impact on technology companies, the Minister said, "I do not share the pessimism".

"First, we need to salute the entrepreneurial initiative of Indian IT professionals who have done so well under difficult circumstances," Prasad said.

The Indian IT companies were paying billions of dollars in tax to US Government and also creating a large number of jobs for American people, he pointed out.

"Let the new President settle down. We will surely continue to engage with the American administration and I think they will appreciate the extraordinary contribution of Indian IT industry," he said.