Twitter restores 250 accounts blocked in India for a controversial hashtag

Microblogging website Twitter late Monday evening moved to restore nearly 250 accounts that were blocked in India earlier in the day for allegedly using a controversial hashtag, a person familiar with the matter said.

The decision to restore the accounts was taken after a meeting between Twitter officials and those from the ministry of electronics and information technology that had asked the social media company to block access to the handles “to prevent an escalation of violence” in the backdrop of the farmers’ agitation.

“Twitter had blocked these accounts in the interim in response to a valid legal request from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology pending discussions with them,” said a person familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity.