20 'anti-India' YouTube channels, two websites banned under new IT rules

India banned 20 YouTube channels and two websites on Monday for allegedly running anti-India propaganda from Pakistan, invoking for the first time the emergency powers under the newly notified intermediary guidelines and digital media ethics code in the IT Act.

I&B secretary Apurva Chandra wrote to YouTube and the Department of Telecom, directing them to immediately block the content as it affects the sovereignty and integrity of India, people aware of the development told ET on condition of anonymity.

The propaganda was being run with the aid of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, according to officials. They said one of the groups identified was 'Naya Pakistan', which has over two million subscribers on YouTube, was running "false news" on issues such as Kashmir, farmers' protests against the farm laws and Ayodhya.

The content was first flagged by the security agencies, after which the I&B ministry conducted an inquiry. "This is for the first time that the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021 have been cited to ban anti-India propaganda websites," said a senior official.

'Info Impinges on National Security'
"The inquiry revealed that these websites were being run from Pakistan. The content run on these channels is blasphemous and hugely impinges on national security," said the official, who was part of the review. Among the YouTube channels banned by India, 15 are owned by Naya Pakistan group, while the others include 'The Naked Truth', '48 News' and 'Junaid Halim official'.

The I&B ministry's inquiry revealed that some of the videos - pertaining to Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Taliban fighters marching to Kashmir, among other issues - had about 3 million views. The total subscriber base of these YouTube channels is estimated to be 3.5 million and their content related to India has had over 500 million views.

The probe further revealed that these channels hosted fake videos about the farmers' protests. Earlier, security agencies had flagged the growing presence of radical elements during farmers' protests. It was alleged that Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which was banned for its anti-India secessionist movement, was instigating farmers in Delhi and Punjab. The farm laws were repealed during the winter session of Parliament following a year-long protest by farmers at Delhi's borders.

Officials said the decision to ban and block these channels and websites will be presented before the Inter Departmental Committee (IDC) within 48 hours, following which it will be ratified by a committee under the IT Rules, 2021.