Guwahati, 23rd February: In a statement on the microblogging platform X, Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi voiced his concern over the suppression of free speech and distortion of reality in what he referred to as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “New India.” Gogoi’s comments came in response to X’s decision to restrict accounts associated with the ongoing farmer protests in India, following requests from the Union government.
Expressing his alarm at the censorship of free speech, Gogoi emphasized that censorship should never be the answer to dissent. He criticized the government for seemingly favoring this approach in response to any form of opposition. Gogoi reiterated his party’s solidarity with the farmers and pledged to continue amplifying their voices in their pursuit of justice.
The controversy surrounding X’s compliance with the Indian government’s orders also gained attention when Global government affairs, a representative of the platform, disclosed that the Indian government had issued executive orders requiring X to take action on specific accounts and posts related to the farmer protests. While complying with the orders, the platform expressed disagreement with the actions and maintained its stance in support of freedom of expression.
Despite withholding the accounts and posts in India as per the orders, X highlighted its ongoing efforts to challenge the blocking orders through legal channels. However, the platform underscored the importance of transparency, expressing concern over the lack of disclosure of the executive orders due to legal restrictions. According to X, this lack of transparency could lead to a lack of accountability and arbitrary decision-making.
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