A recent order of the Maharashtra government laying down guidelines to police for invoking the Indian Penal Code section's 124A pertaining to sedition set off a wave of protests here on Friday from both the opposition as well as social media users.

The government order, which follows the guidelines of the Bombay High Court last March for invoking the provision and has been sent to all police stations in the state, has triggered a storm of protests on social media networks with many criticising it as "draconian", "anti-democracy", "dangerous", etc.