Toon woes

 • The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s order to remove a cartoon featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a Tamil magazine’s website is deemed unwarranted.
• Vikatan Plus, an online-only magazine, has taken legal steps to challenge the order.
• The cartoon is a political commentary, depicting Modi shackled in chains in the presence of US President Donald Trump.
• The Ministry’s move goes against freedom of expression and press freedom.
• The Vikatan website has been rendered inaccessible to some users, possibly due to undisclosed orders or informal instructions.
• The government can block content on specified grounds, but the order is confidential.
• The Centre should reverse the blocking order soon.
• The power to block content should be used sparingly, mainly to combat offensive content like hate speech, incitement to violence, and child pornography, not in deference to a political demand and without regard to freedom of expression.