A blocked WhatsApp account led to a surprising turn in the Supreme Court. When a lady doctor approached the court claiming her WhatsApp access was a fundamental right, the judges didn’t buy it, and even suggested she try an Indian alternative instead. What’s the whole matter Dr. Raman Kundra, a practicing doctor, had her WhatsApp account blocked on September 13. She argued that the platform was essential for both her professional and personal communication.
Her lawyer, Senior Advocate Mahalaxmi Pavani, filed a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, claiming that WhatsApp’s action violated her fundamental rights. Dr. Kundra explained that she had been using WhatsApp for over a decade and relied on it to communicate with patients and colleagues. Supreme Court: Access to private apps isn’t a right The Supreme Court bench, led by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, dismissed the petition. The judges made it clear that private digital platforms like WhatsApp are not part of constitutionally guaranteed rights. Users must follow the platform’s policies, and there is no “right” to demand access. “What is your fundamental right to have access to WhatsApp?” the bench asked. The court also rejected claims that the account block violated free speech, noting that such issues should be taken up through regulatory or civil channels. SC suggests an Indian alternative: Arattai Interestingly, the judges didn’t leave the petitioner empty-handed. They suggested she try Arattai, a messaging app developed by Indian company Zoho. Justice Mehta noted: There are other communication applications; you can use them. Recently, there’s this indigenous app called Arattai…use that. Make In India. Arattai’s rising popularity Although launched in 2021 as a niche project, Zoho’s Arattai has recently gained huge popularity in India.
The app briefly topped download charts, surpassing WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, fueled by the push for local apps under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The app has crossed 7.5 million downloads and is quickly growing, backed by endorsements from government officials like Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, What this means The Supreme Court ruling makes it clear: no one has a constitutional right to use private apps like WhatsApp.
While digital communication is important, users must respect platform policies. And if one platform blocks you, there’s always a homegrown alternative waiting, in this case, Arattai.
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