The website of Tamil media house Vikatan has been blocked since Saturday, February 15, following a campaign from the BJP over a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This comes just hours after Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai called for action against Vikatan, alleging that the publication was spreading offensive content against the Prime Minister.
The cartoon, published by Vikatan Plus, the digital magazine of Vikatan, on February 10, portrayed PM Modi with his hands chained in front of former U.S. President Donald Trump. It was reportedly a critique of undocumented Indian citizens being handcuffed and deported from the United States, highlighting that the Prime Minister had not raised this issue during his meetings with Trump.
Following the blockage, Vikatan issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to free speech.
“Many users from different locations have reported that they are unable to access the Vikatan website. However, as of now, there has been no official announcement from the central government regarding the blocking of the Vikatan website. Earlier, Vikatan Plus, the digital magazine of Vikatan, published a cover cartoon (Feb 10, Monday) highlighting the issue of Indians being handcuffed and deported from the United States, while Prime Minister Modi remained silent on the matter. This cartoon was criticized by BJP supporters, and BJP state president Annamalai reportedly lodged a complaint against Vikatan with the central government. In this situation, several readers have reported that they are unable to access the Vikatan website. However, there has been no official confirmation from government sources about the website being blocked. For nearly a century, Vikatan has stood firmly in support of freedom of expression. We have always operated with the principle of upholding free speech and will continue to do so. We are still trying to ascertain the reasons behind the blocking of our website, and are in the process of taking up this matter with the ministry.”
Vikatan, one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest media houses, will be completing 100 years in 2026 and has a longstanding history of independent journalism.
Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai confirmed that the party had filed two formal representations, one to the Press Council of India Chairperson and another to Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan.
He accused Vikatan of being biased in favor of the DMK and alleged that its content was deliberately targeting PM Modi, “for being a mouthpiece of the DMK and for publishing offensive and baseless content.”
Annamalai also cited five cartoons that he claimed were offensive, including one that depicted PM Modi waving a bloodstained flag after a train crash.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condemned the move, calling it an attack on democracy.
“Blocking the media for expressing opinions is not good for democracy! This is an example of the fascist nature of the BJP. I request immediate permission to grant access to the blocked website,” he said.
This is not the first time the union government has been accused of silencing critical media voices. In February 2024, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed The Caravan to take down its investigative report “Screams from the Army Post” within 24 hours under Section 69A of the IT Act. The story detailed allegations of torture by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir.
