Most accounts withheld by Twitter on IT Ministry directions now restored

Scores of Twitter accounts, withheld earlier on Monday on directions of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), were restored late evening. Among the withheld accounts were those linked with the ongoing farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three farm laws, accounts of some political leaders like CPM’s Md Salim, The Caravan magazine, and that of actor Sushant Singh.

Sources confirmed to The Indian Express that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had directed Twitter to block around 100 Twitter accounts and 150 tweets that it claimed were using a controversial hashtag, and making “fake, intimidatory and provocative tweets on January 30”. It was not immediately known if all the accounts and tweets were linked to the farmers’ protest.