Meta Blocks Kashmir Life, Greater Kashmir & Rising Kashmir Social Media Pages ; Political Leaders Condemn Restriction

Meta Blocks Kashmir Life, Greater Kashmir & Rising Kashmir Social Media Pages ; Political Leaders Condemn Restriction

Srinagar, March 3– Political leaders across party lines voiced strong criticism on Tuesday after the Facebook and Instagram pages of Kashmir Life and other major Kashmir-based media organisations were made inaccessible in India following a government notice. Leaders described the move as “unjustifiable,” “deplorable,” and a threat to press freedom.

Senior politician Sajad Gani Lone expressed concern over the restrictions, saying, “The FB and Instagram handles of some media institutions have been blocked. Most of them are responsible, mature institutions and include GK, Kashmir Life and Rising Kashmir. Their absence will do more harm. At times it has been seen that space vacated by responsible institutions can be filled by unknown entities, further harming the cause of a free and responsible media. The administration should unblock the handles.”

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti questioned the timing of the restrictions, noting they came “at a time when people are grieving and showing solidarity with Iran.” She urged authorities to reverse the action and uphold press freedom and democratic rights. Mufti added that platforms such as Meta, Facebook, and Instagram “should not gag freedom of expression or amplify propaganda by silencing the people’s voice,” and called on the Jammu and Kashmir government to stop censoring media in the region.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a statement condemning the move, saying, “Restricting or suppressing lawful reporting during critical periods only deepens mistrust and weakens democratic values. Silencing the press is not a solution; it is a step backward.” The party urged authorities to reconsider the decision and protect democratic rights immediately.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) also reacted strongly. Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar called the restrictions “deplorable and unjustifiable” and stressed that restoring access to the blocked pages is necessary to ensure the public continues to receive responsible reporting and prevent the inadvertent spread of misinformation.

Member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, described the curbs as censorship during a sensitive period. “Now, more than ever, we must uphold the principles of freedom of expression and protect the independence of media institutions. Silencing the press is not a solution — it is a step backward,” he said, urging authorities to reconsider their decision.

Journalist Sheikh Khurshid described the reported curbs as a “dangerous drift toward information control.” He warned that throttling established media is “not about regulation, it is about control” and said that opaque restrictions expose intolerance to scrutiny. “A society that fears questions is already in decline,” he wrote, calling for immediate clarification from authorities.

The restrictions affected the pages of Kashmir Life, Greater Kashmir, and Rising Kashmir. Users attempting to access the pages were shown notices indicating that access had been restricted pursuant to a legal request under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which empowers authorities to direct intermediaries to disable access to content upon receiving court orders or government notifications.

Founded in 2009, Kashmir Life operates a 24×7 news website and publishes a weekend magazine focusing on Jammu and Kashmir. Its Facebook page has approximately 1.8 million followers, while its Instagram account has nearly 200,000 followers, serving as a major distribution channel for news updates.

At the time of reporting, authorities had not provided details about the specific content cited in the legal notice, the scope of the restriction, or its duration.