1.95 lakh blocking orders just the tip of the iceberg, says Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the Indian government of widespread social media censorship, citing 1.95 lakh blocking orders issued in five months. He claims these actions target students and critics to suppress dissent regarding examination irregularities.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing tensions between the government and opposition regarding digital freedom of speech and the regulation of social media platforms in India.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) accused the Narendra Modi government of launching a “brazen and calculated attack” on the democratic right of citizens to question and dissent, alleging that it had issued 1.95 lakh blocking orders to social media platforms in five months.
In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said most of the orders were directed at content posted by students and young people who had taken to the streets seeking accountability over the alleged irregularities in examinations.
“Modi Government has launched its most brazen and calculated attack on the democratic right of every Indian to speak, to question and to dissent,” he said, comparing the alleged social media censorship to the use of force against young protesters.
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