The Wire news portal reported on Saturday that access to its website was restored shortly after it contacted the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) regarding the government’s block. The Union government had asked the publication to take down a report related to the Rafale jet deal, based on a CNN story, as a condition for unblocking the site, reported the OpIndia.
The site was blocked nationwide on Friday, May 9, citing “technical limitations” following a complaint about the investigative article. Though the report was later removed, founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan called the government’s action an “unconstitutional attack on press freedom,” stating that legal options were being explored.
After the website went offline, Varadarajan reached out to both the MIB and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) for clarity. While the site is now accessible again, The Wire noted that some users across different regions and networks still faced access issues.
According to The Wire’s statement, the MIB said that due to HTTPS protocols, it could not block individual web pages and was compelled to restrict the entire website. The ministry asked The Wire to act on the article and inform them, which would enable the site’s restoration.
The Wire complied by removing the article on May 9 at 10:40 p.m., stating that while it was an “unfair demand,” restoring site access was the immediate priority. The outlet emphasized that it reserved the right to challenge the move under the Indian Constitution.
Varadarajan criticized the lack of prior notice and highlighted that the CNN report cited in The Wire’s article remains accessible in India. He also pointed out procedural lapses, noting that no formal directive was issued as required under emergency powers. The MIB did not respond to their inquiries for several hours, he added.
The ministry has since said that The Wire can present its clarifications before the Inter-Departmental Committee under the IT Rules, 2021.
