The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued directions to block the first episode of the BBC Documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ on YouTube, informed sources said on Saturday (January 21). The social media platform Twitter was asked to block more than 50 tweets containing the links of the video on YouTube, the sources said.
The directions were reportedly issued by the Information and Broadcasting Secretary on Friday using emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021. Both YouTube and Twitter have complied with the directions, the sources said.
What are these emergency powers?
Rule 16 of the IT Rules, 2021 — formally known as the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 — notified on February 25, 2021, describes the government’s power with regard to “Blocking of information in case of emergency”.
The Rule says that “In case of emergency nature, the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may, if he is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient and justifiable for blocking for public access of any information or part thereof through any computer resource and…as an interim measure issue such directions as he may consider necessary to such identified or identifiable persons, publishers or intermediary in control of such computer resource hosting such information or part thereof without giving him an opportunity of hearing.”
Such orders may be passed on certain specified grounds including national security and public order.
What has the government said about the documentary?
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected the documentary produced by BBC as a “propaganda piece” that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset. The documentary was not made available in India by BBC, but it was available on YouTube for some time.
Sources said that senior officials of ministries including the MEA, Home, and I&B have examined the documentary and found it to be an attempt to cast aspersions on the authority and credibility of the Supreme Court of India, sow divisions among various Indian communities, and make unsubstantiated allegations regarding actions of foreign governments in India.
The documentary was accordingly found to be undermining sovereignty and integrity of India, and having the potential to adversely impact India’s friendly relations with foreign states as also public order within the country, the sources said.
