Centre asks Twitter to block 250 accounts for 'hateful' tweets on farm protest | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Centre asks Twitter to block 250 accounts for 'hateful' tweets on farm protest

Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Poulomi Ghosh
Feb 01, 2021 04:41 PM IST

Ahead of the farmers' tractor march on Republic Day, which turned violent, Delhi Police reported over 300 Pakistan-based Twitter handles trying to vitiate farmers' protest.

The ministry of electronics and IT (MEITY) has directed Twitter to block around 250 tweets and Twitter accounts which were using offensive, inciting hashtags which have been making fake, intimidatory and provocative tweets.

Punjabi singers Kanwar Grewal and Harf Cheema reach farmers' protest site against new farm laws at Delhi-Ghazipur border, in Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo)
Punjabi singers Kanwar Grewal and Harf Cheema reach farmers' protest site against new farm laws at Delhi-Ghazipur border, in Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo)

Reports said that this was done on the request of the Union home ministry which has also reimposed internet restrictions on border areas to prevent any escalation of law and order situation.

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"Incitement to genocide is a grave threat to public order and therefore the Ministry of Electronics and IT ordered for blocking of these Twitter accounts & Tweets under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. Twitter has blocked these Tweets/Twitter Accounts," news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

The order from the Centre came on January 30 amid tense situation on the border where farmers have been protesting since November.

On Monday, the Union home ministry extended the suspension of internet services at the farmer protest sites in Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders till Tuesday night, officials said. The adjoining areas will also be affected. The suspension is effective from 11pm of January 31 to 11pm of February 2.

The decision has been taken to 'maintain public safety and averting public emergency' under Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017, a home ministry official said.

The suspension of internet services at the three border points and their adjoining areas was imposed at 11 pm on January 29 and was initially effective till 11 pm on January 31. Internet services were also temporary suspended in some parts of Delhi on January 26, when large scale violence was reported during the farmers' tractor rally.

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