Specific Indian government intervention such as blocking or takedown of a viral video—purportedly showing Chinese PLA soldiers unfurling the country’s flag somewhere in the Galwan valley—may not be needed as it was shot well inside Chinese territory and not in disputed areas at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), highly placed sources told News18.com.
“It is clear that the video was shot within the Chinese side of the valley. So, any action, such as blocking it, may not be needed,” a source in the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeiTY) said.
The video was tweeted on January 1 by Chinese media handles, but there was no official word from China on it. To a layperson, the video may appear to have been shot in the disputed areas of the Galwan valley, observers say. On the same day, the Indian and the Chinese armies had exchanged gifts at several locations along the LAC.
MeiTY can block or take down any content from the internet under the recommendations of the ministry of home affairs or law enforcement agencies and the inter-departmental committee, which is the third tier of the grievance redressal structure under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
This is if the content in question is against the sovereignty and integrity of the country, endangers the security of the state, which is detrimental to India’s friendly relations with foreign countries, and content that is likely to incite violence or disturb the public order.
The rules, which were notified last year, give the information and broadcasting secretary powers to decide on blocking public access to specific content in case of an emergency without giving the platform an opportunity of hearing.
Earlier, the secretary, MeitY, exercised the same provision under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
MeiTY can also ask social media intermediaries to block handles or accounts spreading misinformation under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
The I&B ministry last month had invoked Rule 16 of the new digital media rules to block 20 YouTube channels and two websites spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news on the internet.
Sources in the government further told News18.com that if at all a need arises for taking any action, it has to be on the recommendation of the ministry of defence or the ministry of external affairs.
Defence sources told News18.com that the video—floated by Chinese Twitter handles and aimed at propaganda—is clearly not a new one and has been shot inside Chinese territory.
“The permanent structures in the video and even the flat ground where the Chinese soldiers are seen performing the drill in the video is a giveaway that it was shot around 15km inside the Chinese territory where their camps are located,” a defence source said.
A second source added that the footage does not show the bend of the Galwan river, reiterating the location of the video, emphasising that it may not have been shot recently.
India and China continue to be engaged in a military standoff at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh since May 2020.
Both sides have completed 13 rounds of military commanders’ talks and the date for the next round is yet to be finalised.
China from January 1 adopted a controversial new border law it passed last year which stipulates that the state will take measures to strengthen “border defense, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people’s life and work there, and promote coordination between border defense and social, economic development in border areas”.
However, the defence ministry recently in its year-end review had called China’s actions to unilaterally change the status quo at the LAC provocative, emphasising that India had responded adequately.
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