Authorities in India are making use of iron spikes, steel barricades and barbed wire among a plethora of other materials in an attempt to curb protesting farmers in India. This move has been described as ‘war like’ by farmers, as tensions with India’s Nationalist government continue to escalate.
K. C. Singh, a former diplomat and strategic affairs expert, has drawn parallels with Russia with regard to the ‘quelling of protests’.
“Two nations where security forces are out quelling protests, arresting journalists: Russia and India,” he said.
This development comes just days after Twitter temporarily blocked a large number of accounts on Monday, as per the Indian government’s directives, alleging that the accounts, belonging to prominent magazines and protest advocators, could give rise to a “grave threat to public order”, revealed the AFP news agency.
Previously, a large cohort of senior Indian journalists were charged with sedition for their ‘provocative’ reporting on the farmers’ protest. Complaints filed by residents of various states in India alleged that journalists were responsible for instigating violence during the Republic Day protests by spreading disinformation and fake news.
Cases had been filed against prominent journalists including Rajdeep Sardesai of India Today, and Vinod Jose of Caravan magazine among a plethora of others.
