Arvind Kejriwal Claims Instagram Account Restricted in India, Urges Meta Not To Yield to Government
AAP Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Thursday that his official Instagram account has been restricted in India without prior warning or official explanation. The former Delhi Chief Minister criticized Meta, the parent company of Instagram, questioning the rationale behind the restriction and alleging political pressure behind the platform's action.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that Meta has restricted access to his Instagram account in India, saying the company has not provided any explanation for the action. In a series of posts on X, Kejriwal questioned the restriction and urged Meta not to "bow down" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging a lack of transparency in the platform's decision.
Kejriwal Says Meta Has Not Responded
Kejriwal said verbal enquiries at Meta's India office indicated that his Instagram account had been restricted and made unavailable in India. According to him, repeated emails seeking clarification have only received routine acknowledgements, with no explanation for why the restriction was imposed or how it could be removed. Arvind Kejriwal Announces Nationwide AAP Campaign Over Ram Temple Donation Row (Watch).
Arvind Kejriwal Claims Instagram Account Restricted in India
Sharing a screenshot of his Instagram account status, Kejriwal said the platform showed his account as "unavailable in some locations." The screenshot also indicated that none of his content had been removed, his reach had not been limited, and his account remained eligible for Instagram features and monetisation.
Political Allegation Against the Centre
In his post, Kejriwal criticised Meta's handling of the issue, calling it "pretty bad service." He also accused the company of yielding to political pressure, asking it not to "bow down to the Prime Minister so much." Meta had not publicly responded to Kejriwal's allegations at the time of publication. Why Is Arvind Kejriwal Seeking Written Assurances From Automakers Over E20 Fuel? (Watch Video).
Issue Comes Amid Scrutiny of Meta in India
The development comes a day after Meta faced heightened scrutiny in India over its content moderation practices. The company recently apologised to the Indian government for an operational error that briefly restricted a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid broader discussions over platform moderation and regulatory compliance.
Investigation Into Restriction Remains Unclear
There has been no official confirmation from Meta regarding the reason for the reported restriction on Kejriwal's Instagram account. It also remains unclear whether the restriction was the result of an automated moderation process, a technical issue, or another form of enforcement. As of now, the company has not issued a public statement addressing Kejriwal's claims.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2026 12:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
