New Delhi: Freedom of Speech and Expression is a fundamental right guaranteed to all citizens under the Constitution of India. Article 19(1) guarantees freedom of speech. PM Modi and Hindutva activists have created an environment of intimidation for journalists in India.
Recently, India has blocked 20 YouTube channels and two websites (including Kashmir watch & Kashmir global) that were exposing India’s human right violations on the internet. These channels include The Punch Line, International Web News, Khalsa TV, The Naked Truth, News 24, 48 news, Fictional Historical Facts, Punjab Viral, Naya Pakistan Global and Cover Story. Total subscriber of these YouTube channels is estimated to be more than 3.5 million and have a total viewership of more than 500 million.
It is tantamount to silence the voices of oppressed people and minorities in India. It put question mark on the neutrality of YouTube channel which is a global platform with neutral and professional obligations. There is no doubt YouTube channel is badly manipulated by Indian origin officials working in its hierarchy. To restore its prestige YouTube should unblock these channels.
Information Secretary Apurva Chandra, YouTube and the department of telecom was told to restrict access to the content in the interest of the country.
“And whereas, after having gone through the information published by the aforementioned websites, I am satisfied that information posted on the above mentioned websites is detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, and security of the state, and therefore falls within the ambit of section 69(A) of the IT Act,” Chandra states in his interim order to the department of telecom.
Previously, orders to block websites could only be issued by the ministry of electronics and information technology or the department of telecom under the IT Act and the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951, respectively
The orders to block the content have been issued using the emergency powers granted to the secretary.
The rules, which were notified in February, have been challenged in the court by several digital news media outfits, including LiveLaw and The Wire. Web Desk
