Hyderabad:Popular microblogging site has withheld the BBC's Punjabi language social media page in India in response to a legal demand raised. It is still unclear whether the demand was made by the Narendra Modi-led Union government or the Mann-led Punjab government. The blocking comes at a time when the Punjab police is on an active manhunt to nab pro-Khalistani leader and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.
"If the media, the judiciary is still going to justify this ...then let us understand we are now a state ruled by one party. The state is now one party & one party has become the state!!" Tehseen Poonawalla, a political analyst tweeted, calling it out as an injustice.
"In the name of national security or there own political insecurity.#bbc Kissan anthem “Oh Bik Gaya Paave Inda Da Media BBC de Utte Jhote Chaye Hoye Ne” Bbc the most credible voice is silenced by @BhagwantMann and @narendramodi, so called custodians of democracy," Brinder Singh Dhillon, Punjab Youth Wing leader wrote in Twitter.
It maybe recalled, the crackdown against the British Media major by the Income Tax raids on Feb. 14 was highly criticised. The raids followed the broadcast of a documentary made by the BBC. The documentary - India: The Modi Question was revisiting the 2002 Gujarat riots when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The ruling BJP has branded the documentary as "hostile propaganda and anti-India garbage" made with a "colonial mind-set".
On March 19, Shiromani Akali Dal MP Simranjit Singh Mann’s Twitter account was withheld in India. Next day, Canadian MP Jagmeet Singh's Twitter account was withheld in India.
