YouTube and social media platform X in India have blocked access to a story by CBC News’ The Fifth Estate on the killing of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader, after receiving an order from India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the news channel said on Wednesday.
YouTube confirmed to CBC News that “the content has now been blocked from view” on its Indian site. However, the video is still available everywhere else on YouTube.
The Fifth Estate story titled “Contract to Kill” released on Friday included a video of the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June last year outside a gurdwara in Surrey.
The video showed a white sedan pulling in front of Nijjar as he left from the Gurdwara. The car blocked his vehicle and two men then ran up and shot Nijjar before escaping in a silver Toyota Camry.
According to CBC, the attack involved six men and two vehicles and no arrest has been made in the case so far.
His killing had led to diplomatic strife between New Delhi in Ottawa when in September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his country’s parliament that intelligence agencies were actively pursuing “credible allegations” tying agents of the Indian government to Nijjar’s death. India had described this claim as “absurd and motivated”.
Besides YouTube, social media platform X informed CBC that it had received a legal removal demand from the Indian government related to the Fifth Estate story, CBC said.
"Indian law obligates X to withhold access to this content in India; however, the content remains available elsewhere," X said in an email to The Fifth Estate, CBC reported. “We disagree with this action and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts. Following the Indian legal process, we are in current communication with the Indian authorities.”
The news channel has said that its story was thoroughly vetted before releasing on YouTube.
“To ensure fairness and balance, the documentary included a wide range of voices, witnesses and subject matter experts,” Chuck Thompson, a CBC News spokesperson said. “And, as is the case with all stories on The Fifth Estate, ‘Contract To Kill’ was thoroughly researched, vetted by senior editorial leaders and meets our journalistic standards.”
Also read:
A decade under Modi: Aggressive foreign policy yields mixed returns
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!