Law and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 16Dec said he had denied permission to Facebook's Free Basics platform when he was handling portfolio of the communications ministry.
"Right to access of internet cannot be denied. Therefore, I said earlier when Facebook came to India with Free Basics when I examined it, (and) I was handling communications department then, I found it will be free only when you enter from my gate. India does not believe in one gate and I did not give them permission for that," Prasad said while speaking at the Digital India Summit.
He said it is for the USA to decide their stand on net neutrality but "Our stand from day one is very clear right of non-discriminatory access to internet is not negotiable".
The sector regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, had issued a regulation in February 2016 on discriminatory pricing over internet access which led to ban of platforms like Free Basics and Airtel Zero.
TRAI ruled against discriminatory pricing for different data platforms or content and said operators cannot enter into pacts with internet companies to subsidise access to some websites.
As per ruling, the companies violating the rules will be fined Rs 50,000 per day for the duration of contravention, subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh.Facebook was offering free internet access to some websites that were available on its Free Basics platform.
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