Ananda Vikatan row: Indian magazines condemn blocking of satirical cartoon

A complaint over a controversial political cartoon published in Vikatan Plus led to a blocking order on the Tamil digital magazine's website, sparking widespread backlash

The Association of India Magazines (AIM) has strongly criticised the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for allegedly blocking the website of Tamil news publication Ananda Vikatan following a complaint by Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief K Annamalai on a satirical cartoon. The move has been widely criticised as an attack on press freedom, especially as it was done without prior notice or explanation to the Tamil magazine.

 

According to a statement issued by the AIM on Tuesday, the website was blocked, pending review, following a complaint submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on February 15, alleging that a political cartoon published by Vikatan Plus was “objectionable”.

 

 

Ananda Vikatan cartoon on PM Modi and Trump

The political cartoon published in Vikatan Plus depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in chains beside US President Donald Trump. The imagery referenced the recent deportation of Indian immigrants from the United States, who were reportedly shackled during transit.

 

AIM issued a strong statement, calling MeitY’s action a “draconian attack on press freedom” and raising concerns over the lack of due process.

 

“The immediate and arbitrary action by MeitY on the same day as the complaint is deeply troubling,” AIM said. “What is even more alarming is that this was done while the IT Rules 2021, under which such actions are being taken, remain under legal scrutiny and have been stayed by multiple high courts and the Supreme Court.”

 

Ananda Vikatan cartoon row: What happened?

Vikatan Plus published a political cartoon on its cover on Feb 10 that sparked significant controversy, drawing widespread backlash. The cartoon was criticised for being objectionable by several political figures, including BJP leader K Annamalai. He took formal action on Feb 15 by filing a complaint with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) as well as the Press Council of India, demanding accountability for the content.

 

Soon after the publication, Vikatan’s website faced technical glitches and became inaccessible to many users. This led the publication to request clarification from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) regarding the situation on Feb 16. On the same day, the MIB informed Vikatan of an impending review by the Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) under the IT Rules, 2021, which was set to examine the matter further.

 

In response, Vikatan formally requested an extension until Feb 20 to prepare a detailed response. They also sought specific reasons for the blocking order imposed on their website. However, the MIB confirmed that the website had already been blocked the previous day and chose not to disclose any details about the IDC’s proceedings, citing confidentiality concerns. Despite offering an extension for the response, the ministry emphasised that the emergency blocking orders would remain in place.

 

A report by The Hindu also reported that the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was responsible for blocking the magazine’s website, citing sources.

 

Following the block, Ananda Vikatan wrote in a post on X, “For a century, Vikatan has consistently stood in support of freedom of expression. We have always operated with freedom of speech at the forefront and will continue to do so. If the website has indeed been blocked by the Central government due to this cover image, we want to make it clear that we will face it legally.”

 

The publication further highlighted its history of critiquing both state and union governments and emphasised the need for transparency. “We have satirised governments at both the state and national levels whenever we found them failing in their responsibilities. While we respect legal processes, any action against a media house must be transparent and justifiable. The lack of clarity in this matter is deeply concerning.”

 

While the government has yet to release an official statement on the matter, media watchdogs and journalist associations have expressed concern over the precedent this move sets for digital media in India.