Punjab Crackdown: Here Are All 122 Twitter Accounts Blocked Upon Govt Request

Platforms like Twitter are legally required to comply with government requests – but they are kept confidential.

A total of 122 Twitter accounts were 'withheld' at the request of the Indian government amid a crackdown on pro-Khalistan outfit Waris Punjab De and its chief Amritpal Singh in Punjab.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A total of 122 Twitter accounts were 'withheld' at the request of the Indian government amid a crackdown on pro-Khalistan outfit Waris Punjab De and its chief Amritpal Singh in Punjab.

The government requested Twitter to take action against these accounts on Sunday, 19 March, according to the tech company's disclosure to the Lumen Database. Several tweets were also flagged by the government on the same day.

Twitter's disclosure clears up two things:

• The request to restrict access to 122 Twitter accounts in India was made by the Centre

• The request was made under the Information Technology Act, 2000

While the specific legal provision used by the Centre has not been mentioned, Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, gives it the "power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource."

Why it matters: The Indian government's requests to take action against content are strictly confidential, as per the Blocking Rules, 2009. This means that a user's account or tweets can be taken down without saying exactly why.

What if Twitter says no? The platform could be in serious trouble if it doesn't comply with the government's request to take action against certain content. "The intermediary who fails to comply with the direction issued under sub-section (1) shall be punished with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine," Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, reads.

However, Twitter legally challenged some of the government's block orders on tweets and accounts last year. The court proceedings are still ongoing.

Full List of Twitter Accounts Withheld

Canadian politicians Jagmeet Singh and Gurratan Singh, poet Rupi Kaur, voluntary organisation United Sikhs, MP from Sangrur Simranjit Singh Mann, civil society organisation Khalra Mission, US-based author Pieter Friedrich are some prominent voices whose Twitter accounts were withheld. Action was also taken against the accounts of a number of Punjab-based journalists. Many of these handles are not connected to Waris Punjab De.

1. @bhavjitsingh_

2. @GurratanSingh

3. @theJagmeetSingh

4. @BCSikhs

5. @WorldSikhOrg

6. @unitedsikhs

7. @azzzz12351

8. @pslyllpur

9. @rupikaur_

10. @jassa84

11. @FriedrichPieter

12. @AnandpurTimes

13. @dilbagbal78

14. @jindisinghka

15. @NoahV94242580

16. @PunYaab

17. @AnandpurTime

18. @aarondeep_bains

19. @JaskaranSandhu_

20. @satwantgrewal84

21. @BaazNewsOrg

22. @dosanjh47

23. @Gurmukhpanjab

24. @Sukhmander47

25. @sarrohhii

26. @JasR310

27. @SikhHumanRight

28. @SinghIsKing2021

29. @simkhundal

30. @Gagan4344

31. @chouhan_jasmeet

32. @RodeLakhveer

33. @akaalkepujari

34. @voiceofsikhs_

35. @Sandeep99712694

36. @unmasking_india

37. @nicky_kaurr

38. @singh__baagi

39. @The_rebal55

40. @papalpreetsingh

41. @kamalsinghbrar

42. @RamanGill66

43. @PBX1Foreva

44. @Raven_XLNC

45. @cutenes32205940

46. @Singh_Manjit21

47. @kaurk5332

48. @J0krWithFarmers

49. @pb65ss

50. @MaanGuri01

51. @dilsandhu45

52. @H1984__

53. @Gurpreetsyngh94

54. @HoneySinghJot1

55. @ekamsidhu1984

56. @jeet05149151

57. @Jang_e_Khalsa

58. @panth_punjab

59. @Amandee97662550

60. @exile1849

61. @evolcisum04

62. @deshpunjab1984

63. @aflooshar

64. @navrupkaur

65. @PBX1_ChelseaFC

66. @dr__amar_singh

67. @Harjot_SD

68. @igurditsandhu

69. @harrysimran00

70. @babbxr47

71. @Varinder5229

72. @Amandeep1900

73. @TejpalVirk96

74. @MikeGillYYC

75. @725Kamal

76. @jotkaur___

77. @_Prabhjeet_7

78. @Simar15Kaur

79. @VirkKaranjot

80. @iSinghJaswinder

81. @GBassian

82. @MandeepWkd

83. @juzar__singh

84. @Pb11wale04

85. @ManjitK16046908

86. @HarmanMalla

87. @punjaban025

88. @GaganGrewal07

89. @Mr_Sidhu77

90. @erkhalsa

91. @lovelykundlas

92. @Inder_sangowal

93. @simran2613

94. @bh99_kh

95. @khalisbyblood

96. @singh_rising

97. @jasrajput84

98. @Manrajmannk1

99. @singhtejinder

100. @Sharan398987812

101. @Harprit97473725

102. @palminder1990

103. @DeepKaurPanjab

104. @Singh89mannan

105. @Kaur_Deep84

106. @anandpur84

107. @UppalRajpreet

108. @gladiator1127

109. @simerje51535253

110. @Harmanp48932415

111. @Lakhwidersaini

112. @AzBaaz2

113. @khalramission

114. @IlhmJcZu5R4O8jl

115. @Jagroopjohal_

116. @raz_kaur_md

117. @JessKaur_1

118. @lovemahal26

119. @gurpalsinghd

120. @patshahidawa

121. @Blessed1699

122. @Simranj88503774

Ten more handles were similarly requested to be withheld on Wednesday, 22 March:

1. https://twitter.com/psgazi

2. https://twitter.com/harrysimran00

3. https://twitter.com/babbxr47

4. https://twitter.com/Amandeep190

5. https://twitter.com/BaljitSinghRa12

6. https://twitter.com/itsBrarBaby

7. https://twitter.com/modhaliwal

8. https://twitter.com/SahotaSurrey

9. https://twitter.com/sarkarekhalsa1

10. https://twitter.com/khalsapardeep

What's Happening in Punjab? 

The Punjab Police are on the lookout for Amritpal Singh, after cases of alleged hate speech were filed against him and his supporters last week.

Singh had led a massive protest against the Punjab Police a few weeks ago after the detention of his key aide Lovepreet Singh. His supporters had allegedly broken through barricades and barged into the Ajnala Police Station. Lovepreet was later released citing lack of evidence.

Since Sunday, over 112 people have been arrested by the police while four of Singh's aides have also been booked and taken to Dibrugarh in Assam. The next day, Amritpal Singh's uncle and driver also surrendered to the police.

As part of the statewide crackdown on Waris Punjab De, internet and SMS services were shut down in Punjab. While it has reportedly been lifted in some areas, the blackout continues in others parts of the state, according to SFLC's internet shutdown tracker.