Indian govt blocks access to The Wire; Opposition leaders, journalists condemn clampdown
New Delhi: Continuing its sweeping clampdown on information, the BJP-led Indian government has blocked access to The Wire, a prominent independent news platform known for its investigative journalism and critical coverage.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the website became inaccessible across much of India on Friday, sparking widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, journalist bodies, and civil society groups. The Wire announced it would challenge this “arbitrary and inexplicable” act in court, calling the ban “a clear violation of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press”.
“In a clear violation of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press, the Government of India has blocked access to thewire.in across India,” the statement released by the portal said. “We protest this blatant censorship. We will not be deterred from providing truthful and accurate news to all our readers.”
The move has drawn strong criticism from political leaders and media organizations. Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja wrote to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, condemning the action and warning of a “dangerous trend” where independent voices are silenced while certain media outlets promote communalism and war hysteria.
The DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, also expressed alarm. “Silencing the media at a critical juncture undermines the spirit of democracy,” he wrote on social media platform X, urging the Indian government to immediately lift the ban on The Wire. “Let not press freedom be strangled in the world’s largest democracy.”
Support also came from Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, as well as Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Sasikanth Senthil. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) denounced the move as an “attack on independent journalism.”
DIGIPUB, a consortium of digital news organizations to which The Wire belongs, issued a sharp rebuke: “This is a blatant attack on press freedom. Silencing independent media doesn’t protect democracy—it weakens it.”
The Chennai Press Club also condemned the move, highlighting it as part of a broader trend of government suppression of independent media voices, including platforms like Maktoob Media.
Academics and intellectuals from the collective Kafila declared their solidarity with The Wire, calling on democratic forces across India to resist what they termed “bloodthirsty politics” pushing the region toward instability. “We urge all democratic voices to speak out against censorship, remain united for peace, and defend the right to independent journalism,” the statement read.
