Centre asks Twitter to block 250 accounts for ‘hateful’ tweets on farm protest

The ministry of electronics and IT, on Monday, directed the microblogging platform, Twitter, to block around 250 tweets and Twitter accounts that were using offensive, inciting hashtags that have been making fake, intimidatory, and provocative tweets.

Now, according to the reports, this was done at the request of the Union home ministry which has also reimposed internet restrictions on border areas to prevent any escalation of the law and order situation.

The Ministry has stated that it ordered to block these Twitter accounts and Tweets under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

The order from the Centre came on January 30 amid a 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 11 pm on January 31 to 11 pm on February 2.

As per the report, a Home Ministry official has stated that 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.

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.