Twitter indicated it will not fully comply with the Indian government s request to block accounts amid farmer protests, citing a commitment to defending free speech.
NEW DELHI — India’s agriculture minister defended new agriculture reform laws in Parliament Feb. 5, dampening hopes of a quick settlement with tens of thousands of farmers who have been
New Delhi
When Vinod K. Jose, executive editor of The Caravan, India’s leading investigating magazine, logged onto Twitter on Monday, he was shocked to find the magazine’s account blocked.
Mr. Jose was already dealing with a case of sedition and other charges against him, the magazine owners, and a freelance journalist. At the heart of the allegations is the magazine’s coverage of the ongoing farmers’ protests that have gripped India for more than two months.
As the farmers camp out at the edges of the capital, protesting new agricultural laws they say will devastate their earnings, the mainstream and social media have come under unprecedented attacks from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Critics say it has used the massive demonstrations to escalate a crackdown on free speech, detaining journalists and freezing Twitter accounts.