Karan Deep Singh y Paul Mozur para el New York Times

With a devastating second wave of Covid-19 sweeping across India and lifesaving supplemental oxygen in short supply, India’s government on Sunday said it ordered Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to take down dozens of social media posts critical of its handling of the pandemic.

The order was aimed at roughly 100 posts that included critiques from opposition politicians and calls for Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, to resign. The government said that the posts could incite panic, used images out of context, and could hinder its response to the pandemic.

The takedown orders come as India’s public health crisis spirals into a political one, and set the stage for a widening struggle between American social media platforms and Mr. Modi’s government over who decides what can be said online.

Mr. Modi has been under attack for ignoring the advice of experts about the risks of loosening restrictions, after he held large political rallies with little regard for social distancing. Some of the content now offline in India highlighted that contradiction, using lurid images to contrast Mr. Modi’s rallies with the flames of funeral pyres.

“At this time, in order to win this battle, we have to give priority to experts and scientific advice,” he said.

In India, the companies face a stark choice: follow laws and risk suppressing political debate, or ignore them and face harsh punishments, including prison time for local employees, in a potentially huge growth market.

Simplemente desgarrador lo que está ocurriendo en India por una segunda ola de COVID-19.

Como respuesta, el gobierno de Narendra Modi está haciendo todo lo posible para silenciar a los medios. ¿Por qué suena tan familiar esta historia? En el discurso, se crea una realidad paralela—completamente distinta a lo que verdaderamente está aconteciendo—para volcar la responsabilidad a los opositores y aquellos grupos que están señalando la verdadera causa de la tragedia. Argumentos basados en datos y pruebas científicas se contrarrestan, descalificándolos como estorbos, a pesar de que se le dice a la población que se están siguiendo las recomendaciones de los expertos. Las consecuencias, miles de muertes y probablemente la peor escalada de casos de COVID-19—en todo el mundo—desde que inició la pandemia.

Además del dolor e irrecuperables pérdidas humanas, India estará enfrentando serias consecuencias por el rompimiento del discurso democrático.