Over the past three years, the Union Govt has banned 10,500 social media accounts promoting Khalistan propaganda

A total of more than 28,000 accounts have been banned

New Delhi – The Government of India has banned 28,079 accounts on websites over the past three years. Among these, more than 10,500 accounts were linked to the Khalistani referendum. This step was taken to curb Khalistani propaganda on social media platforms.

1. Action under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act

This action was carried out under Section 69A of the IT Act, which allows for banning any online content deemed a threat to national security, public order, or the sovereignty of the country.

2. Khalistani Referendum

The Khalistani referendum is a voting campaign organized by the banned Khalistani terrorist organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) based in the USA. It is led by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The aim of this campaign is to separate Punjab from India and establish a Sikh nation called Khalistan.

3. Platforms with banned accounts

Out of the 28,079 accounts banned, the highest number were on Facebook (10,976), followed by X (formerly Twitter) with 10,139 accounts. Additionally, 2,211 YouTube accounts, 2,198 Instagram accounts, 225 Telegram accounts, and 138 WhatsApp accounts were also banned.

4. Ban on Khalistan-related mobile apps

Mobile apps linked to the Khalistani referendum have also been banned. Intelligence agencies alerted the government about these apps, which were being used to propagate Khalistani ideology and incite the public.