On May 9, 2025, the Union government blocked access to The Wire’s website in India, marking the third media restriction in recent months. The news outlet condemned the move as blatant censorship, vowing to challenge the arbitrary action.
By Correspondent
New Delhi: The Union government blocked access to The Wire’s website across India on May 9, 2025, citing orders from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the IT Act, 2000. The news portal denounced the action as a violation of press freedom, especially critical amidst ongoing tensions with Pakistan and recent terror incidents. This follows the blocking of Maktoob Media’s X account on May 8 and Ananda Vikatan’s website in February, highlighting a pattern of media suppression.
Escalating Media Restrictions: The Wire’s blocking is the third such incident in 2025, raising alarms about press freedom. Maktoob Media’s X account was withheld on May 8 after a legal demand, with its editor, Aslah Kayyalakkath, calling it an assault on truth. In February, Ananda Vikatan’s website was blocked over a cartoon satirizing Prime Minister Modi, later lifted by the Madras High Court on March 6 with a directive to remove the cartoon. These actions reflect a broader trend of targeting critical media, often without transparent justification.
Government’s Censorship Tactics: The government’s use of the IT Act, 2000, to block The Wire aligns with its history of digital censorship. In 2023, the IT Amendment Rules empowered authorities to remove “false or misleading” content, a vague criterion critics argue stifles dissent. X reported on May 8, 2025, that the government ordered the blocking of over 8,000 accounts, often without specifying violations, prompting concerns over free speech. The Wire’s ban, alongside recent media restrictions, suggests a strategic silencing of independent voices during a geopolitically sensitive period.
Press Freedom Under Threat: India’s press freedom has been declining, with its 2023 Freedom House score at 66/100, labeled “partially free.” The Wire’s statement emphasized the need for “sane, truthful” voices, echoing concerns from the International Press Institute, which in 2024 urged the Modi government to prioritize media freedom. As The Wire vows to fight the ban legally, the repeated targeting of outlets like Vikatan and Maktoob Media underscores a chilling effect on journalism, potentially forcing self-censorship amid fears of further reprisals.
The blocking of The Wire signals a deepening crackdown on press freedom in India. As independent media face relentless censorship, the nation risks losing vital voices of truth, threatening the democratic fabric at a pivotal moment.