AIM slams blocking of Vikatan website by MEITY

Association of India Magazines (AIM) has expressed its concern over what it calls “the arbitrary blocking” of vikatan.com website, published by Tamil magazine publisher Ananda Vikatan, by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), on February 15, 2025.

As per the statement issued by the publisher, this blocking was done following a complaint file by Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on February 15, 2025 itself, over a political cartoon published in Vikatan Plus.

“The immediate and swift action by MeitY on the same day is deeply disturbing. What is further shocking is that that there was no notice issued to the publisher, no opportunity to be heard, and not even a formal order shared by MeitY before the entire website was blocked, purportedly in response to a mere complaint by the state head of the ruling party. The complaint was against publishing political satire, which has forever been an integral part of journalistic expression,” AIM said in a statement issued.

Further, as per Vikatan’s statement, the same day officials from the Press Bureau of India also visited their registered office to inquire whether Vikatan Plus was available in print. It was clarified that the magazine was a digital-only publication.

AIM alleged that the website (which attracts a monthly user base of close to 90 lakh), was unjustifiably blocked, and added that the publishers were served a notice by the MIB, informing them that a meeting of the Inter-Departmental Committee constituted under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules 2021), had been called on 17.02.2025 at 4:00 PM, to consider the request for blocking of the content in question.

AIM further stated that the IT Rules, 2021, have been challenged in numerous cases before multiple High Courts, as well as the Supreme Court, and there is a stay on Rule 9(1) and (3) of the IT Rules, which pertains to the Code of Ethics, and therefore powers of the Inter-Departmental Committee to examine complaints against publishers on these grounds. “Therefore it is quite shocking that while the rules are under challenge and have been stayed, that such an inquiry has been initiated, not to mention, order passed even before the due process,” the industry body maintained. 

Calling the move a “blatant and draconian attack on press freedom”, AIM has called upon the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), to immediately withdraw the blocking order against vikatan.com. AIM has also urged the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), to not initiate any inquiries under the IT Rules 2021 until such time the stay by the courts is in force and the constitutionality of the Rules are decided upon.