On Saturday, Tamil weekly Vikatan’s website was reportedly inaccessible, just hours after BJP Tamil Nadu chief K. Annamalai mentioned that the party had lodged complaints with the Press Council of India (PCI) and the Union government over a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Additionally, Several users have complained they have not been able to access the website of 100-year-old, Vikatan digital magazine after the state BJP complained against a cartoon it uploaded depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting with his hands in chains opposite US President Donald Trump.
Ananda Vikatan, a 100-year-old magazine in the state, has claimed that its digital publication, Vikatan Plus, became inaccessible to several users across the state and outside on Saturday evening, hours after Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai said his party had complained to the Press Council of India and the Centre against the cartoon on Modi.
Later that night, Vikatan posted a message on X, acknowledging that various news outlets were reporting its website had been blocked. However, the publication clarified that it hadn’t received any official notification from the central government.
We will stand strong in defense of freedom of expression…
— விகடன் (@vikatan) February 15, 2025
For nearly a century, Vikatan has stood firmly in support of freedom of expression. We have always operated with the principle of upholding free speech and will continue to do so. We are still trying to ascertain the… pic.twitter.com/cjiq1YNEOU
“Vikatan has stood in support of freedom of expression for a century. In case the site has been blocked by the centre because of the cartoon, we will fight it legally,” it added.
The Tamil daily, in its Feb.13 edition, has published a cartoon which depicts PM Modi in handcuffs alongside former US President Donald Trump, which literally criticised the inhumane deportation of illegal Indian immigrants from the US in handcuffs—an incident that sparked nationwide. The cartoon seemed to take a jab at Prime Minister Modi’s silence regarding the deportation of Indian immigrants.
What Annamalai Tweeted
Accusing the Tamil magazine of acting as a “mouthpiece” for the ruling DMK, Annamalai took to X to share that the BJP’s state unit had submitted two representations to the Press Council of India and the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan. In the post, he urged for swift action against Vikatan magazine for publishing what he described as offensive and baseless content targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On behalf of @BJP4TamilNadu, we have submitted two separate representations today: one to the Chairperson of the Press Council of India and another to our Hon MoS Thiru @Murugan_MoS avl, seeking prompt action against Vikatan magazine for being a mouthpiece of the DMK and for… pic.twitter.com/1PZjr9CClC
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 15, 2025
The BJP leader complaint dated February 15 termed that the cartoon published by the digital magazine as its cover picture as a deliberate attempt to “paint a negative image of the entire diplomatic trip f our Hon. PM to please the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.”
The cartoon drew criticism from BJP supporters, and Annamalai said the party had petitioned the PCI and MoS for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan, urging action against the magazine.
