CPI(M) Puducherry ☭

STUDENTS’ FEDERATION OF INDIA CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Date: 02/11/2026 Press Release The Arbitrary Suspension of the Official Instagram Account of SFI Andhra Pradesh State Committee is Indicating a Troubling Pattern of Silencing the Voices of Students and Youngsters. The Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemns the arbitrary and undemocratic suspension of the official Instagram account of SFI Andhra Pradesh State Committee by Meta Platforms. This act of digital censorship silences the voices of thousands of students across Andhra Pradesh who rely on the platform to access information about educational rights, student struggles, and campus issues. The suspension is a direct assault on the freedom of expression and the right to organize, guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The suspension mirrors a troubling pattern of targeting student organizations. In a similar instance, Instagram permanently disabled the official account of SFI Delhi (@sfidelhi) during the course of the victoriuos protest against the NEET question paper leak demanding the resignation of the then union education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan. When SFI challenged this, Instagram rejected the appeal within two days, and Meta’s Grievance Officer failed to provide a substantive response, offering only generic reporting links. The appeal to the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) remained “under process” for over six weeks, forcing SFI to approach the Delhi High Court, which then directed the GAC to decide the appeal within three weeks. The SFI views the suspension of its account as part of the same disturbing trend of opaque, automated content moderation that disproportionately targets progressive and student-youth voices. Along with case of SFI Delhi, the official account of many other committees and leaders faced similar suspensions and restrictions from meta. This has accelerated during and after the protest against NEET question paper leak. SFI will not be silenced by this. The struggle for educational rights and social justice will continue, both on the streets and on digital platforms. The SFI demands the immediate restoration of the official Instagram account of the SFI Andhra Pradesh State Committee. The Instagram and Meta must provide clear, transparent explanation for the suspension, specifying the exact policy violation and the evidence relied upon instead of vague comments. Also, Meta must review its content moderation policies to prevent the weaponization of tools against student-youth organizations and political dissent. The platform must uphold the principles of free expression and due process. Released by, Adarsh M Saji (President, SFI) Srijan Bhattacharyya (General Secretary, SFI)