Indian government asks Twitter to take down criticism of its COVID response

Officials cited 21 critical tweets in an emergency request to have them taken down under the country’s Information Technology Act, Reuters reported. Author Pieter Friedrich said his tweet slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was indeed taken down in India, but was still available elsewhere. “The reality of #India under the #Modi regime. At least the healthcare is free? #COVIDSecondWaveInIndia #IndiaFightsCorona #ModiFailsIndia #ModiResign,” he wrote in the offending tweet, alongside a photo of a woman sitting on the street with what appears to be a ventilator over her face.