Tensions have been high in Jammu and Kashmir since the Indian government revoked the state’s special semi-autonomous status in 2019, creating two territories under New Delhi’s control: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Laws that previously only applied in India now also apply in the valley, leaving Kashmiris worried that the demography of the region is about to change for good – concerns that have been given new impetus by the local elections expected to take place later in 2023.
Government invites citizen volunteers to flag unlawful, anti-national content as content removal requests on social media have surged. Activists fear creation of surveillance state.
The group that ran the Hindutva Watch handle on Twitter - which flagged instances of violence and bigotry from an extreme form of Hindu nationalism - had long been accustomed to being abused and trolled for content critical of the Indian government.