Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the Modi administration of a 'calculated attack' on democracy, alleging nearly 1.95 lakh social media blocking orders were issued in just five months.

  • Mallikarjun Kharge alleged 1.95 lakh social media blocking orders in five months.
  • Blocking rate claimed to be one order every 68 seconds.
  • Accusations that orders target students protesting NEET paper leaks.
  • Concerns raised over automated takedowns without human review.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of mounting a "brazen and calculated attack" on the democratic right to question and dissent. The Congress leader alleged that the central government has moved to systematically silence critics through massive digital censorship.

According to Kharge, the scale of censorship is unprecedented. He claimed that the government issued approximately 1.95 lakh social media blocking orders in a mere five-month window. Highlighting the frequency, he noted that this equates to one blocking order being issued every 68 seconds. He specifically pointed out that these measures were frequently directed at students and young citizens demanding accountability following the NEET paper leak controversy.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the shift toward automated content moderation poses a significant risk to free speech. Kharge alleged that the government has reduced the response time for content takedowns to just three hours and has automated the process to such an extent that content is being removed without any meaningful human oversight or review.

"The Modi Government has launched its most brazen and calculated attack on the democratic right of every Indian to speak, to question, and to dissent." — Mallikarjun Kharge

Beyond mere censorship, Kharge raised alarms regarding the safety of individuals online. He accused supporters of the ruling party of engaging in coordinated online harassment, including doxxing women and issuing threats, while seemingly escaping legal consequences. He noted that while protesters face physical police action, their digital presence is being "systematically erased" through official mandates.

Historical Background

The tension between state authority and digital expression has intensified in India following the implementation of stricter IT rules. Over the last few years, the government's power to direct social media intermediaries to remove content has become a focal point for human rights activists and legal scholars debating the boundaries of the Constitution.

Did You Know?: Reports cited by Kharge suggest that over half of the blocking orders were directed at Instagram, which served as a primary hub for recent student protests.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the core accusation made by Mallikarjun Kharge?
Kharge accuses the government of using mass social media blocking orders to suppress dissent and target students protesting exam irregularities.

2. How frequent were the blocking orders according to the Congress chief?
He claimed orders were being issued at a rate of approximately one every 68 seconds.