New Delhi: Leading press organisations have criticised the Union government after a parody animation featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi was blocked on social media. The video was posted by digital news outlet The Wire. Media groups described the action as an erosion of freedom of expression.
The Editors Guild of India said authorities did not provide written reasons for the removal of what it termed a harmless cartoon. According to the Guild, the reason conveyed orally was that the video would affect the security and reputation of the country. The Guild rejected this justification and called for a review of recent regulatory changes.
The government introduced amendments to the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2026 a day after the action. The Guild, citing the Internet Freedom Foundation, warned that the new clause on synthetic content is broad and risks restricting satire and political commentary.
Digipub News India Foundation said the government offered no clear explanation on how the cartoon violated any law. It alleged a pattern where satire and critical journalism face opaque legal demands. The Press Club of India also condemned the move and sought transparency on why The Wire’s Instagram account was blocked for nearly two hours.
The 52 second animation mocked the prime minister over questions in Parliament about an unpublished memoir by former Army chief M M Naravane. The Wire stated it received no prior written notice as required under the Information Technology Act.
