Karnataka Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology Priyank Kharge voiced concerns over alleged censorship by major social media platforms. He accused platforms like Twitter (@X), Meta, YouTube India, and Facebook of deliberately limiting the visibility of posts critical of Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah, and the BJP government.
"This suppression not only undermines democratic discourse," the minister stated, "but also distorts public perception by silencing dissenting voices."
The minister highlighted a perceived pattern of restricting critical content, which, in his view, stifles free expression and hampers the democratic process by depriving citizens of diverse perspectives. He stressed that such actions erode public trust in social media platforms, underscoring the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in content moderation practices.
According to a report by Article 14, YouTube has been blocking or demonetising accounts and content critical of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its policies. Meanwhile, multiple reports suggest that far-right-wing channels spreading misinformation and hate speech remain largely unchecked. This selective enforcement of regulations has coincided with India’s decline by 19 places in the Global Press Freedom Index over the past decade, the report said.