<p>The Centre has directed Twitter to locally censor accounts and dozens of posts, including some referencing a report that mentioned India's declining internet freedoms, the social media platform confirmed to <em>AFP</em> Tuesday.</p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has been accused of stifling criticism, with rights groups sounding the alarm over growing curbs on freedom of speech in the world's largest democracy.</p>.<p>Last year the government ordered Twitter to take down tweets by the US think-tank Freedom House that had discussed the detention of Indian citizens for questioning government policy on social media, and the use of internet shutdowns to stifle dissent.</p>.<p>The tweets were no longer available in India as of this week, along with several accounts representing Pakistan's government that had been flagged by the Centre.</p>.<p>Twitter said in a statement to <em>AFP</em> that the removals were "limited to the specific jurisdiction/country where the content is determined to be illegal".</p>.<p>The Centre has repeatedly asked Twitter to withhold accounts and posts in recent years.</p>.<p>Last year it asked the platform to block accounts that had commented in support of anti-government protesters.</p>.<p>Police also investigated more than 100 social media account owners who had tweeted about mob attacks on Muslims in India's northeast last October, including prominent Indian journalists and a US-based law professor.</p>
<p>The Centre has directed Twitter to locally censor accounts and dozens of posts, including some referencing a report that mentioned India's declining internet freedoms, the social media platform confirmed to <em>AFP</em> Tuesday.</p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has been accused of stifling criticism, with rights groups sounding the alarm over growing curbs on freedom of speech in the world's largest democracy.</p>.<p>Last year the government ordered Twitter to take down tweets by the US think-tank Freedom House that had discussed the detention of Indian citizens for questioning government policy on social media, and the use of internet shutdowns to stifle dissent.</p>.<p>The tweets were no longer available in India as of this week, along with several accounts representing Pakistan's government that had been flagged by the Centre.</p>.<p>Twitter said in a statement to <em>AFP</em> that the removals were "limited to the specific jurisdiction/country where the content is determined to be illegal".</p>.<p>The Centre has repeatedly asked Twitter to withhold accounts and posts in recent years.</p>.<p>Last year it asked the platform to block accounts that had commented in support of anti-government protesters.</p>.<p>Police also investigated more than 100 social media account owners who had tweeted about mob attacks on Muslims in India's northeast last October, including prominent Indian journalists and a US-based law professor.</p>