Democracy under threat in Andhra as YSRCP social media pages face restrictions: Jagan
YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday alleged that democracy and freedom of expression were “under threat” in Andhra Pradesh under the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led government after the party’s official Facebook page became allegedly inaccessible.
TDP spokesperson Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar rejected Jagan’s allegations and contended that the restriction of YSRCP’s Facebook page was a legal consequence of violating cyber laws rather than an attempt to curb free speech.
In a post on ‘X’, Jagan said, “This is not just an attack on YSRCP; it is an attack on democratic values and freedom of expression. We only reveal facts, expose the government’s failures and corrupt practices, and bring to light issues that affect the people.”
The opposition leader alleged that the restriction on the party’s Facebook page followed the earlier takedown of YSRCP’s official Instagram handle and reflected a broader attempt to suppress opposition voices.
According to Jagan, silencing an opposition party’s official social media platforms for speaking the truth sets a dangerous precedent and was contrary to democratic principles. The former chief minister alleged that a pattern of suppression was emerging in the state, ranging from police cases against those questioning the government to restrictions on critical content online.
He claimed that individuals raising concerns over expenditure related to Amaravati capital development, alleged irregularities in the DSC process, TTD ghee tenders and other matters of public importance were facing action. The former CM also alleged that evidence relating to corruption and government failures was being suppressed through intimidation and censorship.
The opposition leader asserted that YSRCP would challenge the restrictions through all available legal and constitutional avenues.
He maintained that no intimidation, censorship or alleged misuse of institutions could silence the voice of the people or prevent the party from holding those in power accountable.
Jagan demanded the immediate restoration of the party’s official Facebook page, claiming that such action was necessary to uphold democratic values and constitutional freedoms.
Kumar claimed that Facebook’s action under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, suggested the platform had found content linked to the page to be in violation of applicable laws.
He said that YSRCP owed an explanation to the public regarding the activities that prompted Meta to restrict the party’s official page in India.
Kumar alleged that YSRCP-affiliated social media platforms had for years engaged in targeted trolling, dissemination of fake narratives and circulation of defamatory content against political opponents.
He also claimed that there had been instances in the past where deepfakes, morphed content and misinformation campaigns were used to target TDP leaders and their family members.
Rejecting allegations of political vendetta, Kumar maintained that the action was taken by a private global intermediary based on evidence of repeated violations and asserted that the law applied equally to all individuals and political parties.
The TDP leader argued that Andhra Pradesh deserved a responsible and dignified digital discourse free from misinformation, abuse and unlawful online activity.
