Congress Criticizes Lifting of Ban on Pakistani Social Media in India

Congress leader Shama Mohamed criticizes the Indian government's decision to lift bans on Pakistani social media channels, citing security concerns. The controversy arose after brief visibility of certain Pakistani actors' Instagram accounts to Indian users. Earlier bans were due to anti-India content post a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Congress leader Shama Mohamed has vocally criticized the central government over the temporary visibility of several Pakistani YouTube channels and social media accounts in India, demanding an explanation from government officials. She noted the anomaly while referencing the freedom of terrorists and compared the current situation to the decisive actions taken during the UPA's tenure.

Sparked by the brief accessibility of Instagram accounts of Pakistani actors such as Mawra Hocane and Saba Qamar to Indian users, the issue has fueled social media outrage. As of Thursday morning, these accounts remain inaccessible in India following a legal compliance ensuring their restriction.

The dispute focuses on India's previous ban on several Pakistani actors and cricketers' social media accounts. The original action followed the dissemination of anti-India content after Operation Sindoor, a military response to a brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. This move followed advisory recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which identified the channels as threats to national security and public order due to the propagation of false information.

(With inputs from agencies.)