U.P. Congress president’s WhatsApp blocked, blames BJP for trying to silence Opposition voice

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai has accused the ruling BJP government of pressuring Meta to restrict his WhatsApp account to silence political opposition. Rai claims the move is an authoritarian tactic ahead of upcoming elections and has threatened legal action if the restriction is not lifted.
Why it matters
The incident highlights growing concerns regarding the intersection of digital platform regulation, political censorship, and the integrity of democratic discourse in India.
Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) of putting political and administrative pressure on private companies to silence Opposition voices, as his social media (WhatsApp) account has been blocked and restricted.
He dubbed the move an “authoritarian trend” amid the upcoming election and aimed to cut off his communication with party workers and disrupted daily party work.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in