India Escalates Internet Shutdowns to Quell Widespread Citizenship Law Protests
The Indian government extends mobile internet blackouts to major cities including New Delhi and Mangalore, affecting tens of millions of people. These shutdowns aim to suppress growing demonstrations against a new citizenship law that critics say discriminates against Muslims.
The Indian government aggressively expands internet shutdowns across multiple states to suppress widespread protests against a new citizenship law. Major telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Vodafone, and Airtel cut mobile communications in parts of New Delhi and Mangalore, following direct government orders. These blackouts affect tens of millions of citizens in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and now the nation's capital.
This wave of digital blackouts represents the latest effort by the Narendra Modi-led government to silence dissent regarding the controversial citizenship law. The new legislation creates a path to citizenship for immigrants from all major religions except Islam, drawing severe criticism for undermining India's secular traditions. As students and citizens march in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai, authorities respond by cutting off their primary means of communication and organization.
India currently holds the worst track record of any nation for internet shutdowns, and these latest actions further normalize the tactic as a tool for crowd control. The situation in Mangalore grows especially tense as local media reports confirm at least two protesters suffer fatal gunshot wounds. International outlets like The New York Times strongly condemn the government's approach, highlighting how the law targets the country's 200 million Muslims under the guise of assisting migrants.