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Supreme Court rejects plea to restore blocked WhatsApp account, suggests 'Arattai' alternative
In a significant endorsement of the 'Make In India' initiative, Justice Sandeep Mehta specifically recommended the use of the homegrown application, Arattai.
The Supreme Court of India today dismissed a petition seeking the restoration of a blocked WhatsApp account, with the bench suggesting the petitioner use the indigenous messaging app Arattai instead.
The petitioner, Dr. Raman Kundra, a doctor, approached the court claiming her fundamental rights were violated by WhatsApp's decision to block her account on September 13. Represented by Senior Advocate Mahalaxmi Pavani, Dr. Kundra argued that she had been using WhatsApp for over a decade and it was "essential" for communicating with her clients.
The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, was unequivocal in its stance, asserting that access to private digital platforms like WhatsApp is not a constitutionally guaranteed right. They stressed that users must adhere to the platform's policies to avail of its services.
The judges sharply questioned the premise of the petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, which claimed a violation of fundamental rights.
“What is your fundamental right to have access to WhatsApp?” the bench inquired.
The court further refused to entertain claims that the blocking amounted to a violation of free speech, advising the petitioner to pursue the matter through "appropriate regulatory or civil channels."
In a significant endorsement of the 'Make In India' initiative, Justice Mehta specifically recommended the use of the homegrown application, Arattai.
“There are other communication applications, you can use them. Recently, there's this indigenous app called Arattai...use that. Make In India!" Justice Mehta noted.
The judicial suggestion underscores the rising prominence of Zoho Corp's messaging application. Arattai, which has been available for nearly four years, has recently witnessed a massive surge in popularity, buoyed by the government's push for Indian-made applications.
The app has now surpassed 7.5 million overall downloads and is currently one of the fastest-growing apps, frequently topping the charts on both the App Store and Google Play Store.
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