TRAI rejects Congress bid to send SMS with documentary link on Maha poll fraud

Congress accuses government of coordinated suppression, alleging TRAI blocked SMS citing “protest content” to prevent circulation of documentary exposing alleged Maharashtra election rigging.

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday claimed that the TRAI rejected its application for sending out SMSes to its Maharashtra cadre with the link of a documentary on how Maharashtra assembly elections were allegedly "stolen" on the grounds that it is "content related to protest".

The opposition party also claimed that these were "telltale signs of guilt of Maharashtra election fraud" and there were coordinated moves by various arms of the government to suppress information.

There was no immediate reaction from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the claims made by the Congress.

Chairman of Congress' data analytics department Praveen Chakravarty said the Congress wanted to send SMSes to its Maharashtra cadre of the link to the YouTube documentary "How the MH 2024 election was stolen" and as per government process, an application was filed with TRAI for approval.

TRAI rejected permission to send SMSes, saying it is 'protest content', he claimed.

"How is there such perfect synchronisation between Home Ministry, Election Commission & Telecom regulator to suppress? Does one need more telltale signs of guilt of Maharashtra election fraud than such coordinated moves by various arms of the government to suppress & hide information?" Chakravarty said on X.

He also shared the screenshot of the message sent to it by authorities, rejecting its application on the grounds that it was "content related to protest".

Tagging Chakravarty's post, Congress' whip in the Lok Sabha, Manickam Tagore, said on X, "Ridiculous. When the Congress tried to send a simple SMS with this link, TRAI rejected permission, calling it 'protest content'. Who controls this censorship chain? Sh Amit Shah, Sh Ashwini Vaishnav, Sh Gnaneshwar (Kumar)."

"Home Ministry surveillance. Railways/Telecom Ministry blocks communication. Election Commission silent spectator. One coordinated machine to hide the truth of Maharashtra 2024 fraud. Amit bhai, if Maharashtra elections weren't stolen, why are you so scared of a YouTube link?" Tagore said on X.

"Ashwini ji, since when did TRAI become the BJP's IT Cell? Suppressing SMS won't suppress truth. Blocking Congress workers won't block democracy. The more you censor, the louder people will ask: What exactly are you hiding about the Maharashtra 2024 elections?" the Congress MP said.