The Centre has directed YouTube and Twitter to take down multiple videos of the first episode of the BBC documentary titled “India : The Modi Question” and tweets containing the web links, according to sources.
The directions were issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Friday using the emergency power under the IT Rules, 2021. Both YouTube and Twitter have complied with the direction, sources added. Over 50 tweets have been blocked by Twitter.
The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier termed the documentary produced by the UK’s public broadcaster as a “propaganda piece” stating that it lacks objectivity and reflects colonial mindset. While the documentary was not made available in India by BBC , some YouTube channels had uploaded it.
Sources added that senior officials of multiple Ministries, including Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting 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,” an official stated.
Sources added that YouTube has also been asked to block the video of the documentary if it is again uploaded on the platform. Twitter has also been directed to to identify and block the tweets containing the link to the video on their platform.