As tensions and suspense mount in anticipation of what India might do, The Indian Express BI (April 28) says that the BJP government has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including some leading channels like Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News, and Geo News, for “disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, and false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies after the Pahalgam terror attack” (April 22).
The report says these recommendations were made by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) All these 16 channels have 63.08 million followers.
“This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order,” reads the message if one tries to access these channels, the Indian Express said.
Quoting official sources, the paper said “similar concerns have also been expressed to American news agency AP (Associated Press) and UK-based news agency Reuters. The MEA will continue to monitor the reportage and flag to those concerned about anything which it feels undermines the severity of the situation, or is factually incorrect, it added.
These moves clearly run contrary to the freedom of expression that the world’s largest democracy is supposed to ensure. While it often attempts to take the high moral ground by complaining of “ban” on Indian channels in Pakistan, it itself is currently in overdrive as far as the visibility of Pakistani mainstream media channels and their YouTube outlets.
It has been hyper-sensitive on any content that it declares “inimical to national interest.” Even in the past the BJP government approached X (twitter), Facebook and other social media platforms for taking down “anti-India” posts.
For India research and activism is hatred, commented a Kashmiri journalist who too received similar advice.
Post Pehalgam, the authorities, journalists in Srinagar and elsewhere in Kashmir say, have cracked down on information and asked all and sundry to avoid posting content that may “incite violence or denigrate the Indian government.”
Don’t publish hateful posts “ is the advice sent out to journalists and activists very recently.
Quite obvious that a blatant “exceptionalism on the flow of information and research in the Indian democracy” is on display right now as people both in India and Pakistan grope for the right kind of information.
