The popular Tamil media group Vikatan’s website has reportedly been blocked by the central government, sparking widespread condemnation from political leaders and media organizations.
From Saturday night, many readers found themselves unable to access Vikatan.com. The Vikatan app also stopped working on most mobile devices.
This incident comes just after BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai lodged a complaint with the central government on Saturday regarding a cartoon published by Vikatan. The cartoon criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not addressing the issue of Indian immigrants being deported from the US while meeting with former President Donald Trump.
Vikatan, however, stated, “We have not received any official notice from the central government about the website being blocked. Vikatan has always stood for freedom of speech and will continue to do so. If this action is due to the cartoon, we will face it legally.”
BJP’s Tamil Nadu Vice President Narayanan Thirupathi defended the block, saying, “Publishing such a cartoon during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US is an anti-national act and deserves punishment.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condemned the move, saying, “Blocking Vikatan’s website is an attack on democracy. Freedom of speech is essential, and I urge the central government to lift the block immediately.”
Other leaders like Vaiko (MDMK), Seeman (NTK), and MPs Kanimozhi, Su. Venkatesan, and Manickam Tagore also voiced their protests.
Senior journalist N. Ram from The Hindu stated, “Blocking an entire website over one cartoon is illegal and an attack on press freedom. Vikatan’s cartoon was a valid critique protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. This sets a dangerous precedent for all media houses.”
In response, Vikatan launched an alternative website, anandhavikatan.com, on Sunday morning, allowing readers to access their content despite the block.
