The official Twitter account of the BBC Punjabi has been blocked by authorities in India amidst an ongoing police crackdown against separatists in the border state of Punjab. The development comes days after the Indian tax authorities raided the offices of the BBC following the broadcast of two-part series on Narendra Modi and his role in the 2002 anti-Muslim genocide of Gujarat.
Though the BBC has not issued any statements yet on the latest development, social media users took to Twitter to express their opinions.
The dominating theme of the social media conversation was an overwhelming criticism for the Indian government as many called it a ‘new normal.’ Supporters of the BJP government felt that the decision to block BBC Punjabi’s Twitter account in India was in light of the corporation’s ‘anti-India propaganda.’
New normal?
BBC News Punjabi’s twitter account withheld pic.twitter.com/ObJchCF4iZ— Arshdeep Sandhu (Raavi) (@arsh11kaur) March 28, 2023
The verified account of BBC Punjabi has been banned in India for covering Indian Govt’s crackdown in Punjab.@bbcnewspunjabi pic.twitter.com/xWnHUt8qH4
— Jas Oberoi | ਜੱਸ ਓਬਰੌਏ (@iJasOberoi) March 28, 2023
BBC Punjabi Twitter account whithheld in India for it’s anti-India propaganda. pic.twitter.com/evOHPp3IGN
— Nikhil Choudhary (@NikhilCh_) March 28, 2023
you have a media picking up plants, running pics of amritpal without any sourcing, making any claim they want, but the journalism that gets pulled down on twitter by bbc punjabi is one that adheres to the requisite professional standards. all this govt wants left is propaganda
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) March 28, 2023
The Twitter account of BBC Punjabi is accessible from outside India.
