IT minister: Supports Right of non-discriminatory access to internet

New Delhi, Dec 17: Law and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday 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".