Any YouTube channel, website hatching conspiracy against India & spreading lies to be blocked: I&B Minister

Jan. 20: A few weeks after 20 YouTube channels and two websites were blocked for spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur warned that the government will continue to take such action against those “ YouTube channel, website hatching conspiracy against India or spreading lies.”

“I had ordered action against them. I am happy that many big countries across the world have taken cognisance of it. YouTube also came forward and took action to block them,” Thakur told the media while replying to queries on the issue.

In close coordination with intelligence agencies, the I&B ministry had ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two websites in December 2021 because they had been allegedly spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news. Earlier, the ministry had stated that these 20 YouTube channels and the websites belonged to “a coordinated disinformation network operating from Pakistan”.

The channels were used to share “divisive content in a coordinated manner on topics like Kashmir, Indian Army, minority communities in India, Ram Mandir, (the late CDS) General Bipin Rawat, etc,” the ministry had said in a statement. The 20 channels included International Web News, Khalsa TV, The Punch Line, 48 news, The Naked Truth, News 24, Fictional Historical Facts, Punjab Viral, Naya Pakistan Global and Cover Story.