Congress attacks central govt over social media crackdown

The Indian National Congress (INC) on Friday launched a sharp and sweeping attack on the central government, accusing it of orchestrating a systematic clampdown on social media platforms such as X, YouTube and Instagram — a move it described as a troubling assault on democratic freedoms.

At a press conference in New Delhi, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who heads the Congress’s social media and digital platforms wing, painted a stark picture of what she alleged was a growing culture of suppression. With measured intensity, she charged the government with stifling dissent, curbing freedom of expression, and tightening its grip over digital discourse by targeting voices critical of its policies.

Shrinate pointed to what she called a pattern of silencing — accounts blocked, channels suspended, posts erased — spanning independent creators, YouTubers and Instagram users alike. She argued that such actions, often carried out under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, effectively place decisions about public access to information in the hands of bureaucrats.

“This is not merely about shaping narratives; it is an encroachment on the very spirit of free expression,” she said, warning that the government, having allegedly influenced sections of mainstream media, was now extending its reach into the vast and unruly world of social media.

Invoking specific instances, she cited cases where independent voices raising everyday concerns — from local civic issues to economic distress — were allegedly targeted, including reports of a YouTuber in Noida facing police action. Yet, she stressed, the crackdown was not confined to political opponents. “Many of those affected are not aligned with the Congress. Some have even criticised us,” she noted, adding, “but we stand by their right to speak”.

With a tone of defiance, Shrinate asserted that attempts to mute dissent would ultimately prove futile. “Blocking accounts will not block questions,” she declared, underscoring the party’s resolve to continue raising concerns around governance and accountability.

Framing the issue as part of a larger pattern, she accused the government of deflecting attention from mounting economic and policy challenges — extending her criticism to what she termed shortcomings in foreign policy as well.

The government has yet to respond to the allegations, even as the debate over the boundaries of free speech in India’s digital public square continues to intensify.

With IANS inputs