R Varadharajan, a 71-year-old former police officer turned political commentator and YouTuber for ‘Nethaji TV’, has broken his silence after spending 21 days in jail, a period he describes as a “gift from the rulers.” He was released on bail on 28 October 2025 night in a case related to a social media post made in 2024.

In an emotional video address posted after his release, a visibly fatigued Varadharajan detailed his ordeal, expressed gratitude to his supporters, and reaffirmed his commitment to independent political criticism.

The Ordeal: Arrested Before Diwali

Varadharajan alleged that his arrest was strategically timed to ensure he could not celebrate the Diwali festival with his family. “The rulers arrested me just a few days before Diwali with the intention of not letting me celebrate the festival with my family,” he stated.

He described this as a profound personal loss, emphasizing the importance of family traditions at his age.

He said, “That I shouldn’t celebrate Deepavali with my family. For that reason, they ensured that I shouldn’t come out for Deepavali, stay in a room in prison, and not even celebrate or know it was Deepavali without even knowing the sign of it. 21 days. They did everything they could to keep me in.”

He recounted the significant physical and mental toll of the incarceration. “There were moments inside when I thought my heart would stop… I have no prior experience with this. At this age, being sent to jail… can you compensate for that? They didn’t consider this for a second,” he shared.

A Cry of Gratitude and Support

Despite his hardship, Varadharajan’s message was filled with gratitude for the support he received. He credited his release to the “prayers of all the good people” like his viewers.

He specifically thanked several individuals and groups who stood by him:

Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK): He expressed his “first thanks” to TVK lawyers and its leader, Vijay, for being present both during his remand and upon his release.

AIADMK Legal Wing: He acknowledged the support offered by the AIADMK’s legal wing secretary, Inbadurai.

Fellow YouTubers and Commentators: He thanked commentators like Kishore Swamy, Karthik Gopinath of Ilayabharatham, and ‘Savukku’ Shankar for using their platforms to speak about his detention and rally public support. He noted that Shankar, despite being criticized by him in the past, supported him on the principle of backing a neutral voice.

“When Kishore Swamy posted about my situation, there were thousands of comments in the video — hundreds of people liking each one. Only then did I realise how many stood by me,” he said. He also thanked his followers from India and abroad for their prayers and support.

Reaffirming His Role as a Critic

Varadharajan used the platform to firmly restate his identity as an impartial political critic. “I am a critic. If there is a mistake, I am a critic who can point it out. In a democratic country, a political critic is an important thing,” he asserted.

He stated that his criticism is not partisan, listing leaders from various parties—including Sasikala, Thol. Thirumavalavan, Premalatha, Vaiko, and Edappadi K. Palaniswami—whom he has criticized in the past. “Whoever does wrong, we will criticize them. I have never taken money from anyone to speak in support or opposition,” he said.

Concluding his address, Varadharajan stated that he needs time to recover from the physical strain of his imprisonment. He promised to return to engage with his audience once his health is restored, signaling that his time in jail has not silenced his voice.

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The post ‘They Didn’t Let Me Celebrate Diwali, Prayers Of Good People Saved Me’: YouTuber R Varadharajan Who Was Arrested By Stalin Govt For Social Media Post Recounts Ordeal After 21 Days In Jail appeared first on The Commune.

A week ago, the Congress-led government in Telangana reportedly initiated a crackdown on free speech by directing the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police to create Suspect/History Sheets for social media users accused of “cyber offences” and “financial frauds,” regardless of whether they had been convicted. The official memo, citing Standing Order 600-1 of the Telangana Police Manual and Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), instructs the police to treat such users as “habitual or addicted offenders” and place them under continuous surveillance.

On the one hand, while the Congress governments have withdrawn cases against Islamists/terrorists across the country, the same Congress-ruled establishments have filed cases for exercising free speech.

In this report, we document a series of incidents from 2020 to 2025 where legal actions, including First Information Reports (FIRs) and arrests, were initiated against journalists and social media influencers in states governed by or with significant involvement from the Indian National Congress.

These cases often stem from criticism of party leaders, questioning of government governance, or the dissemination of content deemed offensive or false.

#1 Doordarshan Journalists Targeted

On 9 May 2025, Karnataka Congress leader CM Dhananjaya filed a complaint with Bengaluru’s High Grounds Police Station against Doordarshan journalists Ashok Shrivastava and Prakhar Shrivastava. The leader condemned a program that allegedly portrayed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as a “traitor,” particularly during a period of heightened military tensions with Pakistan. The Congress party accused the journalists of making “communal, unverified, and derogatory statements” on social media.

#2 Arrest of Pulse News Journalists

In March 2025, the Telangana Congress’s social media unit filed a complaint against Pulse News journalists Revathi Pogadadanda and Tanvi Yadav for broadcasting allegedly “offensive” content about Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Subsequently, on March 17, Hyderabad police arrested both journalists. However, the court granted them bail, ruling that Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to habitual offenders, could not be applied as there was no element of organized crime or monetary transactions involved in their actions.

#3 Influencer Arrested for Criticism in Karnataka

On 4 December 2024, Belagavi Police in Karnataka arrested 38-year-old social media influencer Mohit Narasimhamurthy. The arrest was based on a complaint from the state Congress unit, which alleged that the influencer used insulting abuses and unparliamentary language against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and other ministers in a video he uploaded.

#4 FIR for Criticizing Rahul Gandhi

On 7 July 2024, the Cyber-Crime wing of Hyderabad police registered an FIR against social media influencer Raushan Sinha (@MrSinha_). The complaint was lodged by advocate Eera Venkat Naik, who alleged that Sinha was spreading fake news linked to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Parliament on June 1. The complainant asserted that Gandhi never made derogatory statements against Hindus and accused the influencer of intentionally provoking the community for political gain, leading to legal action for the social media posts.

#5 Journalist Booked for Civic Complaint

On 19 June 2024, journalist Revathi was booked by the Telangana state government after she raised a civic issue regarding a power failure in Hyderabad. An official, M Dileep, filed the FIR, asserting that her complaint was a false allegation that intentionally defamed the state government and the power utility. He requested action against the journalist for spreading “false propaganda” and making the incident viral on social media, illustrating the potential legal repercussions for publicly criticizing basic government services.

#6 YouTuber Ajeet Bharti Booked in Bengaluru

On 16 June 2024, Bengaluru’s High Grounds police booked YouTuber Ajeet Bharti based on a complaint from BK Bopanna, a secretary of the Karnataka Congress’s legal cell. The FIR accused Bharti of “spreading enmity between religious groups through false claims.” The complaint specifically cited a video where Bharti allegedly claimed Rahul Gandhi intended to rebuild the Babri Masjid in place of the Ram Mandir, a statement the complainant denied Gandhi ever made, leading to charges for the social media content.

#7 Arrest of ‘Bhiku Mhatre’ X Handle

On 18 May 2024, Karnataka police registered an FIR against Vinit Naik, who operated the X account ‘Bhiku Mhatre’ (@MumbaichaDon). A Congress party worker complained that Naik posted a message against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that could create enmity between communities. Naik had shared a video of the CM’s speech, claiming the Congress wanted to redistribute wealth from Hindus to Muslims. The cybercrime police subsequently arrested Vinit Naik from his residence in Goa, highlighting the interstate reach of such cybercrime investigations.

#8 Youth Congress Complaint Against Influencers

On 26 April 2024, leaders of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) filed a police complaint at a Hyderabad Cyber Crime station against three social media influencers: Rishi Bagree, Arun Pudur, and Ajeet Bharti. They alleged that the influencers morphed and circulated an edited video of Rahul Gandhi’s speech from a rally in Telangana. The complaint stated that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks, the edited video of Gandhi was widely shared and was later fact-checked and identified as manipulated content.

#9 Case for Morphed Picture of Karnataka CM

On 12 January 2024, Bengaluru’s High Grounds police registered a case against two Instagram account holders, ‘troll_kannadiga_1’ and Kritika Kriti. The FIR was based on a complaint by Sajay Yadav, secretary of the KPCC Legal Cell, who alleged the accounts posted a morphed picture of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with abusive comments. The charges included promoting enmity between different groups and circulating false statements with intent to cause social unrest, demonstrating action against perceived personal attacks on a chief minister.

#10 FIR Against TV Anchor Sudhir Chaudhary

On 11 September 2023, Karnataka police registered an FIR against TV anchor Sudhir Chaudhary at Seshadripuram Police Station. The complaint, filed by a Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation official, accused Chaudhary of “conspiring to disrupt communal harmony and spreading misinformation” in a show on Aaj Tak. The show had discussed the state government’s commercial vehicle subsidy scheme for minority communities. He was booked under IPC sections for promoting enmity between groups, showcasing legal action against mainstream media commentary on government policies.

#11 Complaint Against Zee Hindustan Anchor

On 1 July 2022, the Congress party filed a police complaint in Jaipur, Rajasthan, against Zee Hindustan anchor Rohit Ranjan. A Congress activist alleged that Ranjan ran a doctored video of Rahul Gandhi. Although the channel later withdrew the content and issued a public apology, an FIR was filed at the Bani Park police station. The news report had presented Gandhi’s comments on SFI brutality in Kerala as condoning the killers of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, leading to charges under IPC sections 504 and 505.

#12 West Bengal Congress FIR in 2020

On 1 December 2020, the West Bengal Congress filed an FIR in Kolkata against social media influencer Rishi Bagree. The complaint pertained to a Tweet from November 29, 2020, about the ongoing farmer’s protests. Congress accused Bagree of trying to incite the public with a ‘provocative’ Tweet and intentionally insulting Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The FIR stated his actions were intended to break public peace and cause riots and included the charge of intimidation through his social media account.

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The post Democracy In Danger: Cases Filed Against Journalists And Influencers In Congress-Controlled States (2020–2025) appeared first on The Commune.

In a series of hearings on 25 August 2025, the Supreme Court of India delivered two seemingly divergent opinions on freedom of speech and expression, drawing attention to what critics are calling “judicial double standards” in its approach to high-profile cases.

Case 1 – SC Stays Action Against Psephologist Deleted Post

In the first case, a bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice N.V. Anjaria stayed proceedings against psephologist and Lokniti-CSDS co-director Sanjay Kumar, who was facing multiple FIRs for a now-deleted tweet claiming a sharp decline in voter numbers during the Maharashtra assembly elections. Kumar had apologised, calling it an unintentional error caused by a data misreading. The court issued notice on his plea to quash the complaints.

Case 2 – SC Asks Govt To Form Guidelines To Regulate Social Media

In another case hearing, a different bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi took a starkly different stance. Hearing a case concerning comedians and influencers including Samay Raina over jokes deemed offensive to persons with disabilities, the court urged the Union government to develop strict guidelines to regulate social media content. It emphasized that commercial free speech must not “hurt the sentiments” of vulnerable groups, including women, children, seniors, and minorities.

The court observed that influencers who monetize their speech must be held accountable for content that threatens the dignity of communities. It directed the Centre to consult media bodies and propose regulations that balance free expression with social responsibility.

The comedians involved in the second case have since apologized and removed contentious content. The matter will be heard again in November 2025.

Double Standards?

Observers and critics have questioned the apparent inconsistency. In Kumar’s case, the court provided relief by staying FIRs around what was publicly framed as election-related misinformation. In the second, it pushed for stricter content regulation, warning that “insensitive” speech could undermine constitutional values.

Some critics have accused the court of judicial overreach, arguing that content regulation falls within the legislative domain.

Others, however, support the court’s attempt to address hate speech without stifling dissent.

Same day, same Court – Two completely opposite stands!

Case 1: Milords stay action against CSDS’s Sanjay Kumar, whose erroneous post gave cover fire to @RahulGandhi’s Vote Chori toolkit. A post that had the potential to create nationwide chaos, brushed aside as a “mistake.”… pic.twitter.com/MctEZx5iz9

— Media Expose (@MediaExpose_) August 26, 2025

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The post Supreme Court Issues Two Contrasting Orders On Free Speech In A Single Day appeared first on The Commune.

Pakistan’s global rhetoric on free speech appears empty as its hypocrisy is exposed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where the word “free” is nothing more than a cruel irony, a report has cited.

“The plight of young blogger and poet Asma Batool offers a stark example. Her ‘crime’ was penning a poem highlighting the harassment and sexual violence women endure in society. Rather than sparking debate, her verses provoked outrage from local clerics, who branded them ‘blasphemous’, a report in the UK-based media outlet Milli Chronicle detailed.

“Within days, Batool was arrested under draconian laws, while a frenzied mob attacked her home for allegedly ‘insulting Allah’. Instead of protecting her right to expression, authorities capitulated to hardliners—turning a poet’s pen into grounds for imprisonment,” it added.

According to the report, the silencing of dissent in PoK is part of a wider pattern. It stated that in Neelum Valley, journalist Hayat Awan, along with activists Wasi Khawaja and Azhar Mughal, were detained for voicing concerns over a military-run arms training program for female students. Their criticism, shared in a handful of social media posts, was branded intolerable. “The message from authorities was unmistakable: questioning the military or its activities remains off-limits. Even as local press clubs staged protests demanding their release, the detained voices remained behind bars, underscoring the futility of challenging Pakistan’s entrenched power structures,” the report highlighted.

It emphasised that Pakistan’s worsening freedom of press has not gone unnoticed, as in 2025, the country’s ranking plummeted to 158 out of 180 countries, the lowest position ever. International watchdogs, the report stated, have pointed to an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests that have left journalists exposed to pressure from both state and non-state actors.

Despite its dismal record, the report stated Pakistan continues to project itself as a guardian of free expression abroad, with officials condemning censorship in other countries and portraying themselves as defenders of civil liberties on global platforms. However, for those living under Pakistan’s direct control, particularly in PoK, it stated that freedom of speech remains a dangerous illusion.

“The contradiction is stark: poets jailed for poems, journalists arrested for social media posts, and activists punished for questioning militarization. Pakistan’s actions in PoK reveal a deeper reality—its proclaimed values crumble when tested at home,” the report noted.

-IANS

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The post Terror State Pakistan Exposed: Poets, Journalists, Activists Silenced In PoK appeared first on The Commune.

In a concerning development, the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime Police took oppressive measures on Tuesday (20 June 2023) by apprehending Uma Gargi, a vocal supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a social media influencer. The arrest was made on charges of sharing allegedly defamatory posts against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, former CM M Karunanidhi, and Dravidian movement leader EV Ramasamy.

சகோதரி @Umagarghi26 கைது.
திமுக எதிர்ப்பு அரசியல் கருத்துக்களை துணிச்சலாக வைக்கும் பெண்களை குறிவைத்துள்ளது திமுக.

சென்னை எழும்பூர் சைபர்கிரைம் காவல்நிலையத்திற்கு 21.06.23 அன்று காலை விசாரனைக்கு ஆஜராக இருந்த நிலையில் இன்றே கைது செய்துள்ளது காவல்துறை.

தமிழ்நாட்டில் பல…

— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) June 20, 2023

The action was initiated based on a complaint filed by the coordinator of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Information Technology (IT) wing in Coimbatore district, raising concerns about the government’s increasing interference with freedom of speech.

Uma Gargi has been charged under the stringent Section 505 (1)(c) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This provision criminalizes the act of making, publishing or circulating statements or reports that are deemed to incite enmity or hatred among different communities based on race, religion, caste, or other identities.

The alleged defamatory comments made by Gargi revolved around allegations against former CM Karunanidhi, claiming that he had received a substantial sum of Rs 200 crore as ‘commission’ from a Hyderabad-based company in connection with the establishment of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district.

This arrest comes right after the government arrested SG Suryah (Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary) last week for a tweet over the death of a hygiene worker who was allegedly forced to clean a faeces-filled drain by a Communist councillor.

The DMK government had allocated a sum in last year’s budget toward social media monitoring and the ITWReports handle on Twitter has been targetting individuals from the opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, or just anyone who is a vocal supporter of the BJP.

Uma Gargi was recently felicitated at the Social Media Influencers meet by Tamil Nadu BJP leader, K Annamalai.

With inputs from News9 Live

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The post Another BJP Supporter Arrested For Alleged Defamatory Posts About Stalin appeared first on The Commune.

In an interview to American podcast channel Breaking Points, former CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, accused the Indian government of pressurizing them claiming they received numerous appeals urging them to block accounts that covered the farmers’ protest and those critical of the government.

He also alleged that the government raided homes of Twitter employees and was also threatened with a shut down in the country if they didn’t follow suit.

“India is a country that had many request of us around the farmers protest, around particular journalists that were critical of the government, and it manifested in ways such as ‘we will shut Twitter down in India,’ which is a very large market for us; ‘we will raid the homes of your employees,’ which they did; ‘we will shut down your offices, if you don’t follow suit,’ and this is India, a democratic country.”, Dorsey said.

Jack Dorsey, former Twitter CEO alleges that during the farmer protest Indian govt pressurized us(Twitter) and said we will shut down Twitter in India, raid the homes of your employees if you don’t listen to us. pic.twitter.com/tnNYta5G20

— Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) June 12, 2023

In response to these allegations, Union Minister of State for Electronics & Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar refuted them saying the team under Dorsey was repeatedly violating Indian laws and that they were in non-compliance from 2020 to 2022 and it was only in June 2022 that they finally complied (after Elon Musk took over).

This is an outright lie by @jack – perhaps an attempt to brush out that very dubious period of twitters history

Facts and truth@twitter undr Dorsey n his team were in repeated n continuous violations of India law. As a matter of fact they were in non-compliance with law… https://t.co/SlzmTcS3Fa

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@RajeevRC_X) June 13, 2023

One of the key incidents that drew attention to Twitter’s behaviour occurred during the protests in January 2021. The platform was filled with misinformation, including reports of genocide that were later proven to be false. The Indian government took action to remove such misinformation from Twitter, as it had the potential to exacerbate the situation based on fabricated news.

Did Jack’s Twitter Comply Better Or Did Musk Do?

At one given point of time, Twitter1.0 under Jack, compliance rate for info request by Indian authorities was just 5.6% (the same is 69% for USA) & for legal demands it was 19.5%. Vijaya/Jack did arm twisting & retaliated by manipulating TL of RW (proved by TwitterFiles). pic.twitter.com/8nLzakBWWq

— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) June 13, 2023

Under Jack Dorsey’s leadership, Twitter’s compliance rate for information requests by Indian authorities stood at a mere 5.6%, while in the United States, the rate was 69%. Similarly, for legal demands, Twitter’s compliance rate in India was only 19.5%. This discrepancy in compliance rates has raised concerns about Twitter’s willingness to cooperate with Indian authorities.

During this period, there were allegations that Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s Legal, Policy, and Trust & Safety Lead, and Jack Dorsey engaged in arm-twisting tactics and retaliatory actions. These actions allegedly involved manipulating the timeline of right-leaning accounts, as evidenced by leaked documents known as the Twitter Files. The leaked information suggested a deliberate effort to target and suppress the voices of right-wing users.

We are sure our readers remember this image of Jack Dorsey holding a poster saying “Smash Brahminical Patriarchy” in a picture with Vijaya Gadde and Barkha Dutt during his India visit in 2018 when he met with participated in a closed-door meeting with a group of women journalists, activists, and writers. This sparked a backlash and accusations of promoting casteist sentiments.

Jack Himself was part of anti-Hindu campaign of leftists. No problem then? pic.twitter.com/s97s3ETlEU

— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) June 13, 2023

The poster was criticized for its generalization of the term “Brahminical” and its perceived attack on an entire community. Many individuals, particularly from the Brahmin community, condemned the use of the phrase and demanded an apology from Dorsey and Twitter.
Twitter responded by stating that the poster was a gift from a Dalit activist and that Dorsey was unaware of its contents when he held it.

Partisan Behaviour

It was also seen that under Jack Dorsey’s leadership, Twitter exhibited partisan behaviour and struggled to remove misinformation from its platform in India, despite taking action in similar circumstances within the United States. This inconsistency raised concerns about the platform’s arbitrary and discriminatory conduct, as well as its misuse of power to “deamplify” and deplatform certain individuals, potentially violating Articles 14 and 19 of the Indian Constitution.

The social media platform has been criticised in India and across the world for its alleged biases, partisan behavior, and controversial practices. Accusations of left-leaning bias, appointing critics of the Indian government in key positions, and interfering in elections have drawn attention from political actors.

Twitter’s Alleged Biases And Appointments

Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, has acknowledged the platform’s left-leaning bias. Critics argue that this bias was evident in the appointment of Raheel Khursheed as Head of News, Politics, and Government, and Mahima Kaul as Head of Public Policy, for Twitter India.

Jack Dorsey himself admitted that Twitter has Left leaning Bias but still knowingly appointed Modi haters Raheel Khursheed and Mahima Kaul as Twitter India heads.

They were running Twitter like Congress IT Cell, suspending RW accounts, giving free runs to leftist hate mongers. pic.twitter.com/LPNeyIxWIh

— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) June 13, 2023

Both individuals were known for their visceral hate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and allegedly operated Twitter by suspending right-leaning accounts and allowing hate speech from left-leaning users.

Mahima Kaul in fact used uncouth and obscene words unbefitting of her position.

Interference In Elections And Content Moderation

Check how @jack deliberately made Twitter to interfere in US elections, suspended news against Joe Biden but never stopped similar news against Trump.

Jack wanted to do the same in India. Congress Toolkit case was in court, still Twitter themselves decided its Fake based on… pic.twitter.com/DHb7rIz2p5

— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) June 13, 2023

Accusations against Dorsey and Twitter extend beyond biases and appointments. There are allegations that Twitter under Jack Dorsey interfered in both the US elections by suppressing news unfavorable to Joe Biden while permitting similar news against Donald Trump.

How Twitter even used Pandemic to make money.

This @jack allowed all these, now he's talking about freedom of expression?pic.twitter.com/ot9lNc2fx4

— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) June 13, 2023

Critics argue that Twitter leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic to generate revenue by allowing misleading or false information related to the virus to circulate on its platform, despite claims of prioritising accuracy.

The controversies surrounding Twitter sparked debates about freedom of expression and the responsibilities of tech companies in ensuring impartiality and fairness. The allegations against Twitter’s fact-checking process and biased content moderation have raised questions about the platform’s role in shaping public discourse and its impact on political narratives.

Twitter under Jack Dorsey had  silenced, shadow-banned and de-platformed several accounts in India that did not subscribe to its “left-leaning bias” while giving a free run to those who peddled propaganda against India and the ruling Modi government.

Not just in India, Twitter under Jack Dorsey even faced flak for arbitrary censorship.

The platform censored COVID-19 vaccine information from Harvard and Stanford educated doctors as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, Donald Trump, the President of the United States himself was de-platformed by Twitter. 

So, it is an open secret that Jack Dorsey made Twitter not as a common digital public good but as a platform to peddle his political ideology by interfering in elections.

Allowing Child Pornography To Be Freely Available On Twitter

Elon Musk took action to address the issue of child pornography on Twitter, which was reportedly neglected by Yoel Roth, who had been responsible for it. Musk criticized Twitter for its failure to combat child exploitation and stated that he prioritized this matter as soon as Ella Irwin, the current head of Trust & Safety, raised concerns about the lack of resources dedicated to child safety. Musk’s efforts have garnered appreciation from victims of sexual abuse for his proactive approach to tackling the issue of child pornography on the platform.

It is a crime that they refused to take action on child exploitation for years!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2022

A lawsuit alleges that Twitter declined to remove extensively shared images and videos of a teenage trafficking victim, citing “a lack of violation of the company’s policies as per their investigation.” This is despite the nature of the content and the fact that it was extensively shared.

In addition, it is noteworthy that Twitter not only de-platformed numerous Indian pro-Modi, pro-Hindu accounts but also suspended the account of former US President Donald Trump.

1. TWITTER FILES #17
New Knowledge, the Global Engagement Center, and State-Sponsored Blacklists pic.twitter.com/8LuoKY9zzA

— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 2, 2023

Allegations have surfaced suggesting that the decision to remove Trump from the platform was influenced by internal pressure from “activist employees.” This raises concerns about the potential impact of employee activism on Twitter’s content moderation policies.

Under pressure from hundreds of activist employees, Twitter deplatforms Trump, a sitting US President, even though they themselves acknowledge that he didn’t violate the rules: https://t.co/60PplztV4k

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12, 2022

It is ironic and oxymoronic that he is talking about ‘freedom of expression’ and democracy today.

Jack Dorsey’s latest comments come against the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the US where once again he has been peddling the “Indian democracy under threat” rhetoric.

This has led many in India wonder whether Jack Dorsey is once again trying to meddle in Indian elections albeit behind a veil?

(Hridya is a freelance writer and columnist.)

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The post Jack Dorsey’s Dubious Track-Record On Democracy Comes Under Scanner As He Spreads Misinformation About Indian Govt appeared first on The Commune.

Not a day goes by for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his coterie of ministers, without uttering the word ‘Dravida Model’.

Mettur Dam saw good inflow because of Dravida Model.

Praggnanandhaa beat Magnus Carlsen because of Dravida Model.

The earth is rotating because of Dravida Model.

People are breathing because of Dravida Model.

Dravida Model, Dravida Model, Dravida Model!

This sticker of ‘Dravida Model’ is being pasted on anything and everything under the sun.

So, what is this ‘Dravida Model’?

The Dravidian Stockists peddle that the Dravida Model is the anti-dote to ‘communalism’ and ‘fascism’. But recent activities of the DMK government negate these claims.

To understand the reality of Dravida Model, let us analyze one aspect of it – the Dravida Model of Free Speech.

Case 1

On 29 May 2022, rabid anti-Hindu fringe outfits like Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK), Thol Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Popular Front of India, Communists, and other “Periyar”-ist  organizations had organized a ‘mega-rally’ under the name of “Periyariya Unarvalargal Kottamaippu” in Madurai.

In the rally, members belonging to the DVK led by the outfit’s Namakkal district head raised slogans abusing Hindu Gods and Hindus.

“That Maari (Goddess Amman) who asks for sacrifice of goats and pigs a God? Is Kannan (Lord Krishna), who raped woman, a God? Will a child be born if a man and man have sex? Is calling Ayyappan a God rational?”, the men clad in red shirts can be heard shouting.

நாமக்கல் மாவட்ட தலைவர் தோழர் சாமிநாதன் அவர்களின் பேரணி முழக்கங்கள் #செஞ்சட்டைப்பேரணி pic.twitter.com/s6kiBb680u

— DVK Periyar திவிக (@dvkperiyar) May 30, 2022

No action was reported to be taken against these elements. The Dravidian Stockist media too looked the other way.

Case 2

On April 26, a rabid anti-Hindu YouTube channel named U2 Brutus released a video titled “This is the reason why Nataraja stands with his leg lifted“, in which a person who identifies himself as ‘Minor’ resorts to slandering Hindu God Siva and Goddess Kaali.

In the video, Minor says “This guy Paramasivan.. what he did was.. Only on going further we come to know the nefarious activities of his.. He keeps lifting his leg up and up and finally lifted it fully and straight… If you think stretching the leg was a good movement… I too thought so on reading about it but that is where the trick was.. The thing is ‘Thalaivan’ (referring to Lord Siva) did not wear underwear that day. Don’t laugh.. Seriously, that is what is written.. Thalaivan had gone without wearing underwear voluntarily. What will happen if someone lifts the leg up? ‘It’ (referring to penis) will fall out right? I’m not joking. That is how it is written. Once you lift your leg, it will be visible right? On seeing that the people were shocked. Thillai Kaali who was dancing got shocked after seeing it. How can she dance after that? After seeing it, she didn’t know what to do and forgot all her dance movements.”

This ‘Minor’ was felicitated and given an idol of E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (knonwn as Periyar by his followers) by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian at an event held in April 2022.

U2 Brutus has put several videos slandering Hindus and the Hindu faith.  Earlier in November 2021, the channel released a video titled “Pornography in Vedas” in which ‘Minor’ and an alleged Saivite scholar named Prakash derogate the Vedas, the holy scripture of the Hindus. No action has been taken against ‘Minor’ till date despite multiple complaints registered against him by Hindu outfits like Indu Makkal Katchi, Hindu Munnani and Sivachariyars.

Case 3

Surendar Natarajan alias ‘Naathigan’ of Karuppar Koottam YouTube channel who was arrested for putting abusive and vulgar videos of Hindu Gods and released weeks after DMK came to power, justified his abuses against Lord Murugan and added that he will continue to speak against Hindu puranas and Gods through his new YouTube channel.

No action has been taken on him.

Case 4

Dr. K Kantharaj, a Dravidian-demagogue doctor who appears in several YouTube channels spewed venom and made genocidal remarks against the Tamil Brahmin community.

He also derogated Hindu Gods like Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and made scandalous remarks on April 1 being marked as Tamil New Year.

“The 60 years have been named after children born out of homosexual relationship between Naradar and Vishnu. If you celebrate April 1 as Tamil New Year, you are celebrating homosexual new year not Tamil New Year.”, the Dravidianist doctor had said.

No action has been taken against him.

Despite the brazen communal vitriol spewed by these anti-social elements, the DMK government and the Dravidian Stockist media have given them a free pass.

On the other hand, the DMK government has been cracking down on its critics.

Case 5

Immediately after the DMK came to power, political commentator Kishore K Swamy was arrested on June 14, 2021, for allegedly ‘defaming’ DMK leaders MK Stalin, Karunanidhi and Annadurai. The arrest was made based on a complaint by a Kanchipuram DMK functionary.

Kishore K Swamy in his tweet had just quoted parts of a writing by Tamil poet Bharathidasan who had written about Annadurai saying that Annadurai took his niece to a wealthy man’s house to earn money.

Kishore K Swamy had also made several posts criticizing MK Stalin and his father M. Karunanidhi.

For this ‘heinous’ crime of criticizing DMK leaders, he was incarcerated and slapped with the Goondas Act languishing in prison for around 6 months.

However, the Madras High Court in December 2021 quashed the Goondas Act against Kishore following which he was released from prison.

Case 6

In another similar case, Kalyanaraman of BJP Tamil Nadu was arrested for allegedly derogating Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his late father Karunanidhi.

Kalyanaraman had in a tweet posted a picture of a page from a book which talks about V. Anaimuthu’s comments on EVR’S wife Maniammai quoting from another book titled “Periyar Kolgaiku Kuzhithondiya Dravidar Kazhagam” (Dravidar Kazhagam, the one which buried Periyar’s principles).

In this, Anaimuthu sheds light on the relationship shared by Maniammai and K. Veeramani, the current head of Dravidar Kazhagam.

Kalyanaraman in his tweet had said “These are the words of Anaimuthu who traveled with EVR and documented them later… Will they be arrested now for telling the truth ?”

In response to this tweet, a person on Twitter had said that EVR fought for women’s liberation. Responding to this, Kalyanaraman said “So, you mean to say he [EVR] visited brothels to liberate them? Then our Chief Minister MK Stalin’ father Karunanidhi must have also visited the Royapuram brothel for the same. Kannadasan must have wrongly mentioned in his book Vanavaasam“.

Kalyanaraman too was slapped with the Goondas Act.

Case 7

Popular Youtuber Maridhas was arrested on December 9, 2021 for a tweet that came in the light of the death of late Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat. This arrest too was made based on a complaint by a DMK functionary.

Days later, the DMK government once again received a knock on its head when the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court quashed the FIRs registered against Maridhas. But, the matter did not end there.

The DMK government once again arrested Maridhas for a video that was released during the first wave of the COVID-19 in which the YouTuber spoke about how the returnees of the Tablighi Jamaat meeting refused to cooperate with government officials and were spreading the corona virus.

This FIR too was quashed by the Madras High Court.

Case 8

BJP IT wing office-bearer Saravana Kumar from Dindigul was arrested for allegedly criticizing the DMK government.

He had responded to a DMK executive on social media who had made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for which he was arrested and later released on bail following a protest by BJP cadres..

Case 9

Dakshinamurthy alias Seethaiyin Mainthan, a YouTuber and a Tamil nationalist ideologue was arrested on October 15, 2021 for releasing a documentary that exposed the lesser known and hidden facts about E.V. Ramasamy Naicker also known as ‘Periyar’ by his followers.

The two-part documentary bases most of its evidences on the book titled “Tamizhar Thalaivar” written by Samy Chidambaranar who wrote the book under the supervision of EVR himself and was published in the year 1939.

Seethayin Mainthan quotes several instance from the book establishing that EVR was a heavy drunkard and a pimp.

Case 10

An FIR was filed against Tamil magazine Vikatan, YouTuber Maridhas and political commentator ‘Savukku’ Shankar for speaking against G Square Realtors, a real estate company reportedly close to the DMK family.

There are several such instances where the DMK government has gone after its critics. Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami had slammed the DMK government in July 2021 when cases were registered against News J, a TV channel of the AIADMK party, and members of the party’s IT wing.

Hence, Karthik Gopinath’s arrest should come as no surprise as he has been going after the DMK hammer and tongs in his YouTube channel Ilaya Bharatham. At the same time, Karthik could’ve been more careful in terms of disclosure as it involves people’s money. Those in the ruling regime just need a misstep to pounce upon.

From the above instances, it becomes clear on what the Dravidian Model of ‘Free Speech’ is – crackdown on critics, give a free-pass to anti-Hindu elements.

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The post Dravidian Model Of Free Speech: Crackdown On Critics, Give Free Pass To Anti-Hindu Elements appeared first on The Commune.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Saturday January 9 once again urged the Indian government to review the laws governing big social media firms in India. This was after social media giant Twitter permanently banned US President Donald Trump from its platform citing a ‘risk of incitement of violence’.

Using the same platform that banned President Trump, MP Surya said that the suspension of Trump’s Twitter account was a “wake-up call for democracies” on the threat posed by “unregulated” big-tech companies. “If they can do this to POTUS, they can do this to anyone”, he continued.

Tejasvi had urged the government to repeal the ‘IT Intermediaries Guidelines Rules’ during zero hour in the parliament. “They (the guidelines) are problematic because they empower private foreign enterprises performing essentially a public function to act as censors as free speech without government oversight, thus effectively and severely impacting safeguards of fundamental rights to free speech(sic),” Surya said.

Furthermore, Tejasvi Surya pointed out that he had earlier written to the Centre regarding the anomaly of the regulatory laws governing big-tech companies. “I had earlier written to govt to review the IT Intermediary Guidelines Rules on account of them being violative of #FoE guaranteed under the Constitution. The guidelines allow intermediaries to exercise wide powers that are beyond constitutional limits”, he tweeted.

“Intermediaries aren’t like media platforms. They’re exempt from liability via Sec 79 of IT Act, which bars them from meddling with content. Intermediary guidelines are in contrast to “Intermediary” under IT Act by giving them power to censor free speech without State oversight”, he continued in another tweet.

I had earlier written to govt to review the IT Intermediary Guidelines Rules on account of them being violative of #FoE guaranteed under the Constitution.

The guidelines allow intermediaries to exercise wide powers that are beyond constitutional limits.#RegulateBigTech

1/5 pic.twitter.com/DB0TVMab2K

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 9, 2021

“Recently, the actions of social media giants have paved the way for introspection and consequential amendments in India’s tech laws. Actions of Intermediaries must be condemned and any law that provides such wide powers must be reviewed. Dissent is fundamental to democracy and government welcomes it. But only constitutional authorities can decide on its reasonability. Lately, we’ve witnessed a sea change in the actions of big-tech companies, which have themselves assumed this role”, he went on.

Dissent is fundamental to democracy & govt welcomes it. But only constitutional authorities can decide on its resonability

Lately, we've witnessed a sea change in actions of #BigTech Cos which have themselves assumed this role

Time for us to #RegulateBigTech

4/5

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 9, 2021

Calling for regulations on big-tech companies, Surya said that citizens decide what their opinions are and that they are free to express themselves. Facebook and Twitter serve as platforms of expression and should not curtail people’s will, he said.

Donald Trump’s Twitter ban came after pro-Trump protestors stormed the US Capitol on an eventful day. The ensuing violence led to the death of 4 protestors, including a female USAF veteran.

Twitter flagged Amit Malviya’s tweet in November

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya also commented on Trump’s Twitter account ban, saying “deplatforming Donald Trump, a sitting US president, sets a dangerous precedent. It has less to do with his views and more to do with intolerance for a differing point. Ironically, those who claim to champion free speech are celebrating. Big tech firms are now the new oligarchs.”

Deplatforming Donald Trump, a sitting US president, sets a dangerous precedent.

It has less to do with his views and more to do with intolerance for a differing point. Ironically, those who claim to champion free speech are celebrating.

Big tech firms are now the new oligarchs.

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 9, 2021

Earlier in November, Twitter had flagged a tweet by the BJP IT Cell chief as “manipulated media” after the BJP leader shared a video on farmers’ protest as a reply to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on the farmers’ protests.

Rahul Gandhi must be the most discredited opposition leader India has seen in a long long time. https://t.co/9wQeNE5xAP pic.twitter.com/b4HjXTHPSx

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 28, 2020

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DMK spokesperson Saidai Sadiq has put out a video against independent vlogger Maridhas in which he threatens to parade him naked and take him to task for uploading videos criticizing and exposing the DMK and its links with Tamil Nadu mainstream media on his Youtube channel Maridhas Answers.

In his video he starts by addressing Maridhas with the tags “Eccha Poriki” (a derogatory crass word in Tamil), “Modi’s drumbeater”, “Amit Shah’s slave” and a coolie supporting BJP.  He alleges that Maridhas earns his livelihood by criticizing the Karunanidhi family, the DMK and the Dravidian movement. He makes a derogatory reference to Maridha and his parents saying that Maridhas is a man who was conceived 3 months after his father’s death.

Saidai Siddiq says that he is putting this video attacking Maridhas as “things are going out of control in social media” as he keeps attacking Karunanidhi, MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin and media (Tamil Nadu mainstream media like News 7, News 18 Tamil Nadu, Puthiyathalaimurai).

He further attacks him by his caste saying “If he is a truly a man… If he is a man born into a good caste, let him openly reveal his caste, gotram, his organization, and tell why he is opposing the DMK”.

Sadiq asks why Maridhas did not speak about Jay Shah, Home Minister Amit Shah’s son who has allegedly earned ₹80,000 crores. He asks if he is “man enough” to discuss the status of the economy, the questions over late former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s death, the raids in Tamil Nadu ministers’ premises, IT raids at the Chief Secretariat, the suicides happening due to NEET, and the corruption of Tamil Nadu ministers.

“Why are you repeatedly attacking the DMK? We are not in power. We are in opposition. AIADMK is in power. Edappadi Palaniswami is acting as the ‘slave’ Chief Minister. Instead of posing questions at those in power, why is ‘ayokyan’ (evil) Maridhas questioning and criticizing the DMK?” Sadiq says.

He asks what is the agenda ‘given to’ Maridhas and why he is repeatedly attacking the DMK when there are issues like Sathankulam, corruption in the ruling regime, Anitha, etc.

The DMK spokesperson warns that he won’t be able to walk alive in Tamil Nadu if he keeps criticizing the DMK or its leaders.

“DMK is the asset of Tamil Nadu. Bear in mind what will happen if some person gets angry”, Sadiq warns.

He further casts aspersions about his source of funds for his food, his supposedly costly car, watch, etc and keeps asking who is behind him and why does he support (sombu thookuradhu) the RSS.

Maridhas on July 5 had released a video exposing the background and working of Tamil news channels like News 18 Tamil Nadu, News 7 and Puthiyathalaimurai. In response to this Saidai Sadiq asks “Who gave Maridhas the authority to question and criticize the journalists and media houses?”

He says that no film runs for long and that his time is near. “I don’t care if you file a police complaint against me for threatening you. People have woken up now. You are defaming the OBC, MBC, SC community. All of us are angry. It won’t take 5 minutes to put a case against you, arrest you. Everybody knows the reception that Subramanian Swamy got from AIADMK women’s wing. We are not responsible if anyone throws dung or eggs or pisses on him. Mind you, if you don’t stop your act we will immerse you in dung”, he says on an instigating note.

In light of these recent developments, Maridhas’ residence at Madurai has been given police protection round the clock.

The post DMK’s Saidai Sadiq uses crass words, hurls casteist abuse and brazenly issues death threats to independent vlogger and DMK critic Maridhas appeared first on The Commune.