Telegram’s temporary ban in India prior to the NEET-UG re-examination has led to significant controversy, with founder Pavel Durov accusing Reliance Industries of interfering with access to the platform beyond India’s borders.
The ban was implemented by the Indian government due to concerns that leaked exam papers were circulating on Telegram. This restriction was reported to have been in effect ahead of the June 21 re-test, prompting Telegram to challenge the government’s decision in the Delhi High Court.
Authorities claimed the ban was essential to protect the integrity of the exam process. However, Durov criticized the government’s action, stating, “India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions.” He noted that the ban impacts over 150 million users in India, suggesting it does little to address the leak issue, as the leaks have reportedly shifted to other applications.
Whistleblower Nisarg Adhikary also weighed in, asserting that banning apps like Telegram will not resolve the problem of exam paper leaks, as users will simply find alternative methods to share information.
Further complicating the situation, Durov has accused Reliance of using BGP hijacking to disrupt Telegram’s access, affecting users outside India, including those in the UAE. He described the actions as intentional sabotage and stated that Reliance has ignored multiple reports about the issue. Durov urged global network operators to reject unauthorized routing announcements from Reliance.
Durov’s accusations have sparked discussions online, with users questioning the existence of technical evidence to support his claims. In response, Durov asserted, “Plenty,” indicating that Telegram is pursuing the matter further with the UAE telecom operator “du.” He expressed concern over the implications of an Indian telecom operator allegedly impacting internet access for users in other countries.
As of now, Reliance has not provided any official comments regarding the allegations.
