India recently blocked YouTube videos and Twitter posts of a recent BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the country goes through a seven-week-long lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The documentary, which was released in March, explores Modi’s role in the 2002 massacre of Muslims in Gujarat, his links to industrialist Gautam Adani, and other controversial issues.
Internet access in India came to a standstill on April 23 after the government blocked access to the documentary and other videos that reportedly highlighted what it deemed were Modi’s controversial views. The government justified its move by pointing to the “sovereign duty” of maintaining law and order in the country, but many activists and human rights groups have criticized the move as a violation of freedom of speech.
The decision to block the documentary’s distribution comes at an interesting time, as there are reports of journalists, celebrities and opposition leaders’ criticism of government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis being censored. Social media users have expressed their discontent with the lack of transparency and insufficient information provided by the government and its censorship activities.
The virtual blackout of the documentary has sparked debates over whether or not the government violated freedom of expression or if the block was a justified move to maintain law and order. This move highlights the uncertainty surrounding the freedom of expression in a country that is fast becoming authoritarian.
The documentary’s removal has raised questions about how the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will respond to criticism and how it will protect the rights of its citizens from government censors. It is also important to recognise that censorship is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. The government must come up with clear guidelines on what is permissible and what is not in order to protect the freedom of expression in India.
It is also essential that the general public, journalists and other relevant stakeholders are educated about the issue, so that citizens can better understand the possible implications of the censorship of information and how it affects freedom of expression. In the long run, the decision to block the BBC documentary could be seen as a violation of people’s right to know, and only time will tell whether the government will reverse its decision.
