MIB directs The Caravan to take down story on army’s ‘torture, murder of civilians’ in Jammu

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed The Caravan magazine to take down one of its stories within 24 hours. The take-down order was issued under section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

In a tweet, The Caravan said it will be “challenging this order”.

Section 69A of the IT Act empowers the government of India to block information from public access if it’s believed to impact India’s sovereignty, integrity, defence, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, and others.

The story by Jatinder Kaur Tur was published on February 1. Headlined “Screams from the Army Post”, it’s about the Indian army’s “torture and murder of civilians” in Jammu.

For instance, it alleged that on December 22, “25 men were picked up from several villages in Rajouri and Poonch districts, and taken to three different army posts, where they were severely tortured. Three of them died.” The story alleged one of the soldiers “decided to take a video of the torture” and also that the army “paid blood money to the families of those tortured and killed”.

The story also said the chief of the army’s Northern Command “sent out directions…to all ranks below him” that the army should “identify ‘black, grey and white villages and population – treat accordingly’”.

The Modi government frequently issues orders under section 69A. But how does the process work? We break it down here.