Chennai:
Popular Tamil Media Group Vikatan said his website on Saturday – www.vikatan.com – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Donald Trump were blocked for “many users of different places” after a satirical cartoon was published on 10 February about 10 February; The cartoon was about more than 300 illegal Indian migrants who were deported from the US, in the hut, in military aircraft who landed in Punjab.
In an X post at 11.46 pm on Saturday, Vikatan said that many of his readers had reported being unable to reach the website, and the Center had not made any official announcement about any block.
In a fierce post, Vikatan said, “We have always worked, and will continue working for freedom of expression. If the Center blocks the website due to this cover, we will face it legally.”
NDTV understands that some ISP, or internet service providers have blocked access to some places including Tamil Nadu. However, there are reports that others have pending direct orders from the Center.
The storm broke after the Tamil Nadu chief of BJP, K Annamalai, destroyed the Cartoon in complaints to the Press Council of India and Junior Information and Broadcasting Minister L. Murugan.
We will stand strong in defense of freedom of expression …
For almost a century, Vikan stands strongly in support of freedom of expression. We have always worked with the principle of maintaining free speech and will continue to do so. We are still trying to find out … pic.twitter.com/cjiq1yneou
– விகடன் (@vikatan) 15 February, 2025
“On behalf of Tamil Nadu BJP, we have presented two separate representations today: one to the chairperson of the Press Council of India and the other to our Minister of State L Murugan … demanding quick action against Vikan magazine. And to publish aggressive and baseless material against our Prime Minister Modi, “Mr. Annamalai wrote.
Mr. Annamalai, a terrible critic of DMK, also accused the Vikan cartoon, sitting with his weapons and legs, next to a laughing Donald Trump, to reduce the political and diplomatic efforts of the Government of India, Reduced
Read | American aircraft with third batch of illegal Indian migrants in Amritsar
He said, “The freedom of the press does not give a license to a newspaper to convict a political leader by publishing fake and defamation writing,” he said.
on behalf of @BJP4TamilnaduWe have presented two separate representations today: one Press Council of India chairperson and the other to our honorable Moss Thiru @Murugan_mos AVL, DMK mouthpiece and… pic.twitter.com/1PZJR9CLC
– k.annamalai (@annamalai_k) 15 February, 2025
The Chief Minister and DMK boss MK Stalin quickly snatched the dispute with the demand for banging the Center and the website. Such censorship, he declared, was not suited to the functioning of a good democracy.
The central government has not yet responded to the matter.
In a rare show by Bonomi, Mr. Stalin joined his criticism by actor-royalty Vijay, who called it a clampdown on freedom of expression of guarantee by the Constitution. “Freedom of the press – the fourth pillar of democracy – must be preserved at all costs. If there are concerns about the material … then the appropriate course is to take legal resort to not resort to draconian measures …”
Another actor-royalty, Kamal Haasan posted a detailed statement on X, in which he said that when he “could not agree with all the views of Anand Wicket”, but that “it is my duty to make whatever efforts to make whatever efforts And it is my duty to stop anyone who stops anyone (for freedom of expression).
ஆனந்த ஆனந்த விகடனின் கருத்துக்களுடனும் கருத்துக்களுடனும் கடமை கடமை. @vikatan தன் தன் கருத்தைச் உரிமையை பறிக்க முயன்றாலும் கடுமையாக கடுமையாக எதிர்த்து அந்த தடுக்க வேண்டியது கடமை.
கட்சியின் கட்சியின் மத்தியத் திருப்திப்படுத்த திருப்திப்படுத்த தலைமை வெட்டிய இந்தச் இந்தச் ……
– Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) 16 February, 2025
“Makkal Needi Mayam (Kamal Hasan’s party) strongly condemns this action by the central government. Tamil Nadu will create any elephant that tries to violate our speech freedom or our language slip and fall. One thousand years Tamil History gives us courage to say this.
Reacting to Jabs, senior BJP Tamil Nadu leader, Narayanan Thirupathi presented a satirical question to the Chief Minister. “Please talk about ‘freedom of expression’, which after reading the list of persons arrested during the last four years to criticize you and your government.”
With input from agencies
(Tagstotransite) Vikan (T) PM Modi Donald Trump Meeting (T) Modi Trump Cartoon
