Indian censors media, Twitter critics

The Indian government has blacklisted media reports and social media accounts as part of its ongoing attempts to prevent the spread of rumours and calm simmering sectarian tensions. The rumours concern clashes between the indigenous Bodo community and Muslim settlers in Assam earlier this month. The clashes left scores dead …

[Anonymous Coward]

Not censorship

To us in the west, in particularly in the UK, this probably sounds like unacceptable censorship.

Just take a moment to think, while India is becoming a highly developed country, in the cities, and has an educated elite, there are huge tracts of the country populated by thousands of people who have not had an education, are extremely poor and where religion and caste is of more importance. They live in an environment that could be seen as medieval in comparison with the rest of the country. Suspicions and superstitions abound, people with a lack of education don't evaluate things as easily as an educated person.

It is no wonder that the Indian Government is trying to prevent these riots provoked by agent provocateurs.

It's not censorship per se, it's Governance and trying to establish a rule of law.

P

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Not Censorship

Many, though not all gvernments consider they should try to protect their citizens lives. I this case the Indian government is taking what they, and no doubt many others see as prudent steps tp mitigate the damage, threats and chaos being fomented by malign efforts. If the collateral damage is a few word smiths efforts, so be it, better that than real dead corpses.

So to refer to 'censoring' stories designed to stir up riot and hate is to stretch the meaning of censorship well beyond its Young's Modulus.

Well said 'P'

R

[Matt 21]

I don't think

the issue is so much about blocking of access to sites and accounts which are raising tensions and could be considered as inciting violence. The problem is that the Indian government doesn't appear to be acting within the law and are taking the opportunity to shut sites that don't agree with them under the guise of what could be considered legitimate action.