Cartoonist Satish Acharya’s Instagram account blocked second time in three weeks

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Political cartoonist Satish Acharya’s Instagram account was restricted in India for the second time in three weeks on Tuesday.

A message displayed by the Meta-owned platform when users try to access the account says: “We temporarily restricted access to this account pursuant to legal requirements under India’s Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules.”

It was unclear what had led to the blocking order.

Acharya shared a screenshot of his blocked Instagram account on social media platform X.

“Saheb, people have elected you to bring achche din,” he wrote referring to the government. “You are wasting your term in blocking Instagram accounts!”

He added: “Who is so scared of cartoon!”

Acharya’s Instagram account had been restricted in India on September 28 after the platform received a legal request from the government under the 2021 Information Technology Rules. The rules require social media platforms to remove allegedly unlawful content within three hours of receiving directions from the government or a court.

It had been restored on October 5.

At the time, the work of another political cartoonist, Manjul, about the Election Commission was also restricted by Instagram to users in India “pursuant to a notice from the Government of India/Law Enforcement”.