Hindutva Watch, Hate Crime Tracker, Blocked in India before National Election : Analysis

The website of Hindutva Watch, a US-based project that documents hate crimes against religious minorities in India, as well as the website of India Hate Lab, a hate speech tracking initiative, are now inaccessible in India. Both websites received notices under India’s Information Technology (IT) Act, which allows authorities to block information in the interest of India’s sovereignty and security. The founder of both projects, Raqib Hameed Naik, is exploring legal options in response. Critics accuse Hindutva Watch and Naik of bias against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideology. Earlier this month, Twitter withheld the account of Hindutva Watch in India, following the government’s order under the IT Act. India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has fallen, and observers have noted a growing climate of censorship in the country. Naik’s work is seen as critical for documenting hate speech and violence against religious minorities in India.

Analysis:
The article reports that the websites of Hindutva Watch and India Hate Lab, which document hate crimes and hate speech against religious minorities in India, are now inaccessible in India. The websites received notices under India’s Information Technology Act, which allows authorities to block information in the interest of sovereignty and security. The founder of both projects, Raqib Hameed Naik, is considering legal options. Critics accuse Hindutva Watch and Naik of bias against the ruling BJP party and its ideology. Twitter also recently withheld the account of Hindutva Watch in India, following government orders. The article mentions that India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has fallen, and there is a growing climate of censorship in the country. Naik’s work is seen as critical for documenting hate speech and violence against religious minorities in India.

The article does not provide specific sources or evidence for the allegations made, such as the accusations of bias against the BJP and Hindutva Watch. Therefore, it is difficult to evaluate the credibility of these claims. The article does mention the withholding of Hindutva Watch’s Twitter account, but it does not provide any context or explanation for why this action was taken.

Additionally, the article does not provide any analysis or discussion of the potential biases of Hindutva Watch or Naik. It simply states that critics accuse them of bias against the BJP. Without further information, it is challenging to determine the reliability of the claims made by Hindutva Watch.

The article highlights a concerning trend of increasing censorship and limitations on press freedom in India, as evidenced by the blocking of the websites and the withholding of the Twitter account. This information is crucial for understanding the overall impact of the actions taken by the Indian government and the potential implications for freedom of speech and human rights in the country.

The political landscape and the prevalence of fake news may influence the public’s perception of the information provided. Supporters of the ruling BJP party may view the blocking of these websites and the withholding of the Twitter account as necessary measures to maintain national security, while critics of the government may see it as an infringement on freedom of speech and a suppression of dissent. The lack of specific evidence or source material in the article may contribute to misinformation or a lack of nuanced understanding of the situation, as readers may rely solely on the provided information without further investigation.

Source: Aljazeera news: Hate crime tracker Hindutva Watch blocked in India ahead of national vote