Move initiated over anti-India content
New Delhi/Srinagar: The government has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating “false, provocative and communally sensitive content” about India and has also strongly objected to the BBC’s reportage on the Pahalgam attack, officials said on Monday.
The government’s move follows recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in the upper reaches of the Kashmir resort town in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Besides, the Ministry of External Affairs will be monitoring reporting of the BBC, which termed terrorists as militants, officials said.
The YouTube channels blocked are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama.
“On the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India has banned Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir,” officials said.
In a missive to BBC India head Jackie Martin, the MEA conveyed the country’s strong sentiments over reporting on the Pahalgam terror attack. It objected to the description of terrorists as “militants” in its reporting on the Pahalgam tragedy.
In one news flash, the BBC said, “Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists.” This was flagged by the government as objectionable.
“A formal letter has been sent to the BBC on terming terrorists as militants. The External Publicity Division of the MEA will be monitoring the reporting of the BBC,” an official said.
The government has also blocked a message doing the rounds on WhatsApp terming it as “misleading”. The message talked about the contribution of one rupee every day for “modernisation of the Indian Army and for soldiers who are injured or martyred in the war zone”.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the spontaneous public outrage after the Pahalgam attack is an indication that terrorism may end soon in Jammu and Kashmir and made it clear that he will not cite the massacre to push for statehood restoration.
In his 27-minute speech during a special session of the J&K assembly, the chief minister, with his voice heavy with emotion, said “this assembly understands the pain of victim families more than any other”.
The day-long session of the assembly was called to condemn the killing of 26 people, mainly tourists, at Baisaran in Pahalgam.
“I did not have the words to apologise to these families though the security of Jammu and Kashmir is not the responsibility of the elected government. As the Tourism Minister, I invited these people to come here.” “Being the host, it was my responsibility to send them back safely. I could not send them back,” Abdullah said at the emotionally charged assembly session.
During the speech, Abdullah refused to ask for statehood for political gain in the face of such tragedy. “My politics is not so cheap…This is not the time to demand statehood.”
Earlier, the assembly unanimously passed a resolution expressing shock and anguish over the Pahalgam attack and resolved to fight resolutely to defeat the nefarious designs to disturb communal harmony and hinder progress.
Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out raids at dozens of places in Srinagar, Doda and Kishtwar on Monday as part of the massive clampdown on terror ecosystem.
As part of the stepped-up operations, security forces have raided more than 600 locations in the Valley in just six days and grilled hundreds of suspects. Authorities have also demolished nine houses of suspected terrorists and overground workers of terror outfits since the April 22 attack in the meadows of Baisaran.
Pakistani troops, meanwhile, resorted to unprovoked firing in Poonch and Kupwara districts, continuing with their ceasefire violations along the LoC, Army officials said on Monday. This was the fourth consecutive night that Pakistan resorted to small-arms fire along the LoC and came amid heightened tension between New Delhi and Islamabad following last week’s terror attack.
Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively, officials said. There were no reports of any casualty.
