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Swarajya Staff
Jun 07, 2017, 05:58 PM | Updated 05:58 PM IST
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An exclusive OpIndia interview with Sadhvi Pragya’s legal counsel, which went viral yesterday afternoon (6 June), was blocked by the social media site Facebook.
In the interview, senior advocate Avinash Gupta, who represented Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in the Malegaon blast case, shed light on various hitherto unknown aspects of this infamous case.
For over five hours, access to this story on Facebook was barred as the content was flagged for being ‘abusive’ and ‘malicious’.
Facebook users were unable to read the article. A message saying the link is malicious and hence blocked, popped up on the screens of those trying to access the story.
It is suspected that a group of people may have organised to report the link and stop the interview from being shared on Facebook.
Facebook has blocked link to our interview of Sadhvi Pragya's lawyer due to mass reporting. Some people hate truth https://t.co/z0rv2kt4yl
— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) June 6, 2017
https://t.co/kem7mXAXCZ this piece was removed by FB on mass reporting by #IntellectualTerrorists.. Plz read and keep sharing..
— Merc (@MercBhaur) June 6, 2017
Users who noticed the error reported it to OpIndia, who, although posted an alternative link to the story, could only request users to raise the issue with the social media site.
I too got this message while posting ! pic.twitter.com/WvunSXp0M6
— Vandana ð®ð³ (@VandanaDaftari) June 6, 2017
Yeah not going through. A clear stifling of free speech as there was nothing remotely 'abusive' in the interview pic.twitter.com/v0ZPI6EkXg
— Hemant (@bija_hem) June 6, 2017
It was only after a couple of hours and many counter requests and reports by users affirming that there was nothing abusive in the story, that Facebook restored the link.
@facebook Shame on you.https://t.co/Ygg2mjAK5I
— pothu (@pothukuchis) June 6, 2017