Editors Guild of India Condemns Sudden Blocking of Vikatan Website, Decries Government Overreach
(Judicial Quest News Network)
The Editors Guild of India has expressed deep shock and concern over the sudden and arbitrary blocking of the Tamil magazine web portal, Vikatan.com, by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The action, taken without prior due process, followed the publication of a cartoon featuring the prime minister.
Cartoons have long been a legitimate form of journalistic expression, and the Guild condemns this blatant overreach by authorities. The blocking occurred without warning, reportedly triggered by a complaint from the head of a political party to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), yet no prior notice or opportunity for a fair hearing was extended to Ananda Vikatan, the publisher behind the site.
Disturbingly, after the site’s blocking, a notice was belatedly issued, inviting the publishers to a hearing by an Inter-Departmental Committee established under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This sequence of events highlights the arbitrary nature of the action, as due process was initiated only after the decision was enforced.
Compounding the issue, the Bombay High Court has already placed a stay on certain provisions of the IT Rules 2021, which limit the powers of the Inter-Departmental Committee in handling such complaints, further questioning the legality of the blocking.
The Editors Guild decries this act as an infringement on the principles of free press and democratic values, especially in the face of growing concerns over media freedom in India. The blocking of the Vikatan website undermines transparency and fairness, raising alarms about the future of free expression.
The Guild is also deeply distressed by the online harassment, including death threats, directed at the cartoonist responsible for the artwork.
The Editors Guild of India calls on the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to immediately reverse the blocking order and ensure that any future decisions regarding free speech and expression are made in accordance with established legal processes and without undue political influence.
