In a startling development, Srinagar-based independent news outlet, The Kashmir Walla, has reported the blocking of its website and social media accounts by the Indian government. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, under the IT Act, 2000, has been cited as the enforcing authority behind this action.
The news came to light through a statement issued by The Kashmir Walla staff on August 19. The statement outlined the publication’s dedication to unbiased journalism in the Jammu and Kashmir region over the past 12 years. However, recent times have seen the news outlet facing numerous challenges.
Founder-editor Fahad Shah’s arrest in February 2022 over coverage of a gunfight marked the beginning of a difficult period for the outlet. Shah was subsequently arrested five times within four months under various Acts including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Public Safety Act. An investigation into an opinion piece published in 2011 also led to a raid on the outlet’s office and Shah’s residence by the State Investigation Agency in April 2022.
Statement: When we contacted The Kashmir Walla's server provider to ask why https://t.co/zniqt5p3zU was inaccessible, they informed us that our website has been blocked in India by the MEITY under the IT Act, 2000. pic.twitter.com/3FOwFEJwVU
— yashraj sharma (@yashjournals) August 20, 2023
The latest blow was dealt on August 19, 2023, when The Kashmir Walla’s website was found to be inaccessible within India. Furthermore, the news outlet’s Facebook page, boasting nearly half a million followers, and its Twitter account were also removed. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invoked the IT Act, 2000, as the legal basis for these actions.
The statement by The Kashmir Walla staff expressed their lack of awareness regarding the specifics behind these actions. No official notice or public order regarding the blocking and removal has been made available so far, leading the staff to decry the situation as “opaque censorship.” The statement highlighted the outlet’s commitment to independent journalism even under mounting pressure.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
