The information and broadcasting ministry has ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels and two news portals for fake news and carrying “anti-India content’’, invoking the emergency powers it has under Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

These channels and websites, according to the ministry, belong to a coordinated disinformation network operating from Pakistan and are used to spread fake news about various sensitive subjects related to India including Kashmir, minority issues, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act-related agitation, Ram Mandir, and farmers protests.

The action was taken in coordination with intelligence agencies who found that the “disinformation campaign’’ involved an entity called The Naya Pakistan Group, which has a network of YouTube channels. There were also some standalone channels carrying similar content. Together, they had a combined subscriber base of over 35 lakh and with views running into several crores.

Further, the ministry said there was an apprehension that these YouTube channels would be used to post content to undermine the democratic process during the upcoming elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.