Telegram ban: Telegram founder Pavel Durov has strongly reacted after India temporarily blocked access to the messaging platform, saying the move has “punished” over 150 million ordinary users instead of targeting the real culprits behind exam leaks.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Durov criticized the decision and argued that the restriction would not solve the problem, claiming that leaked content would simply shift to other platforms.
His remarks come after the Indian government ordered a temporary ban on Telegram until June 22 over allegations that the app was being used to facilitate cheating in NEET exams.
ALSO READ: Is Telegram banned in India?
What Pavel Durov said about the Telegram ban
Durov directly addressed the scale of the impact, pointing to Telegram’s massive user base in India. He said the Telegram ban “punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials.”
He also questioned the effectiveness of the ban, suggesting that it would not stop illegal activity online. “And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps.”
