The Twitter account of Kashmir-based pro-Khalistan author Amaan Bali has been withheld in India on the instructions of the Government of India. Twitter now displays a notice on his profile that says that his account has been withheld in India following a legal demand.
Amaan Bali had extended support to the Farmer’s Protest that turned violent on several occasions and had also peddled pro-Khalistan propaganda. Bali had previously accused the ‘Sanghi Ecosystem’ of taking advantage of the abduction of two Sikh girls by Islamists. He was also seen justifying the lynching of a man within the premises of the Golden Temple over an alleged act of sacrilege. In fact, in a tweet, Bali had confessed to being a Khalistani but later tried to portray it as a virtue of sorts. In October last year, he had also tried to downplay the killing of a Kashmiri Hindu teacher by Islamic extremists.
Recently, after Gurudwara Karte Parwan was attacked by terrorists belonging to the ISIS Khurasan, he blamed Hindus for the attack in Afghanistan by Islamists. He had somehow also blamed Nupur Sharma for ISIS attacking the Gurudwara in Afghanistan.
This is not the first account that has been withheld in India. Earlier, on June 22, the Twitter handle of fake news peddler and Islamic terror apologist CJ Werleman was withheld in India. If someone from India tried to open his account, a message that read “@cjwerleman’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand” appeared on the screen. As per this message, his account has been banned in India following a request from either a court or a competent authority in the government.
Rana Ayyub’s tweet being withheld in India
In what seems like concerted action against anti-India rhetoric by the government of India, on June 26, Twitter withheld a tweet by financial fraud-accused Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub in response to legal demand by the Government of India. Notably, in the tweet that has been withheld, Ayyub had cast aspersions on the judiciary in connection to the disputed structures called mosques.
After the survey was allowed by the court, the judge who had passed the order had been given additional security after they received death threats. The threats came after the videography of survey found Shivling in the wuzukhana of the ‘mosque’ where people who offer namaz at masjids would wash their dirty hands and legs before offering prayer.
In the tweet that has not been withheld by Twitter, Ayyub had said, “Setting the stage for demolition of yet another mosque in India, sanctioned by the judiciary, endorsed by the regime, abetted by the silence of its liberals and enabled by the complicity of the citizenry. Yet another day of humiliating the Muslim minority. Democracy anyone?”
The tweet was published on April 9, 2021. Ayyub was quoting a tweet by Bar & Bench where it was reported that the court had allowed an ASI survey of the disputed structure known as Gyanvapi ‘mosque’ adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Mandir.
