Telegram responded in a snarky manner after it was banned by the government over the paper leak issue. The messenger app’s response was critical as it didn’t back off from confrontation.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s decision to restrict access to the messaging platform until June 22 ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination drew mixed reactions. Many people have welcomed the move as a necessary step against paper leak rackets that had allegedly flourished on the app while as others questioned whether the state was trying to deflect blame.
Later on, Telegram’s snarky responses on X have shifted attention further away from any meaningful debate.
Its reply to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in which Telegram’s official account suggested shutting down shopping malls because thefts occur inside them or closing roads because some people speed. The analogy perhaps intended to argue that platforms should not be blamed for the actions of individual users. Instead, it achieved something else, spotlight onto Telegram itself.
One user critiqued that malls are not allowed to become safe havens for organised theft and argued that platforms also carry responsibilities when illegal activity repeatedly occurs in plain sight.
Another pointed out that while a theft affects individual victims, a paper leak can undermine a competitive examination taken by millions. Others accused Telegram of ignoring concerns about scam channels and fraudulent networks operating on the platform.
The messaging app turned up the trolling, making further exaggerated comparisons. “Your government is also considering banning solid food, as it presents a needless choking hazard,” it said. The post didn’t specify which country’s government it was talking about, but it was obvious.
When users suggested that its confrontational posts may end up inviting a permanent ban, Telegram pitched the issue as one of protecting civil liberties and preventing a slide “toward authoritarian evil”.
Several users argued that examination leaks originate within institutions and systems, not messaging apps. Others described the restriction as a distraction from the need to identify and punish those responsible for the leaks.
But by choosing to engage through exaggerated analogies and snarky replies on social media, Telegram has shifted the discussion away from legitimate questions about the government’s logic and towards the tone of its own response.
Ban challenged in court
The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on the plea filed by the Telegram messaging app challenging Centre’s order to temporarily block the platform until June 22 over NEET paper leak concerns.
During the hearing, the Centre told the court that the public interest involved in the matter extends to “crores of students” whose concerns over alleged question paper leaks cannot be ignored. It argued that Telegram’s message editing feature, which allows users to modify the posts, could be misused to create a false impression that examination papers were leaked before the exam.
The court asked Centre over the decision to temporarily ban the platform, how the communication rights of the users could be curtailed just because one group of citizens is appearing in examination.
