Messaging app Telegram has sharpened its criticism of the Indian government's temporary restriction on the messaging platform, posting a satirical message on X that likened the ban to outlawing water because of drowning deaths.
“Over 300,000 people die of drowning each year. In order to protect society, it is now illegal to consume or possess water. Your government is also considering banning solid food, as it presents a needless choking hazard. You are not an adult. You are a baby. Eat the baby food,” Telegram Messenger wrote on X.
Over 300,000 people die of drowning each year. In order to protect society, it is now illegal to consume or possess water.
— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) June 17, 2026
Your government is also considering banning solid food, as it presents a needless choking hazard.
You are not an adult.
You are a baby.
Eat the baby food.
The post quickly sparked debate online, with users weighing in on whether governments should restrict widely used technologies because of misuse by a small group of bad actors.
The exchange comes as Telegram challenges an Indian government order that temporarily blocked access to the platform amid concerns over exam-related fraud linked to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
ALSO READ: Telegram Moves Delhi High Court Against Government Ban Ahead Of NEET UG Re-Exam
In a filing before a New Delhi court on Wednesday, Telegram described the move as “unconstitutional”, a “grossly disproportionate” measure and an “overbroad restriction on the fundamental right to freedom of speech of users”.
The company warned that allowing the restriction to continue would “enable indiscriminate suspension of digital platforms” and amount to a “blanket shutdown” of a service used by more than 150 million people in India.
Telegram also argued that the blocking order overlooked the fact that hundreds of thousands of students and educators rely on the platform for study materials and communication with coaching institutions.
Founder Pavel Durov separately questioned the effectiveness of the ban, saying it penalised Telegram's 150 million Indian users rather than “the insiders who leaked the exam materials”.
The Union government imposed the week-long restriction at the request of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which said the action was necessary to curb the organised use of Telegram by cheating networks ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21.
ALSO READ: No Immediate Stay On Telegram Ban; Delhi High Court To Hear Matter Again On Thursday
The order, which remains in effect until June 22, marks the first time India has blocked a messaging platform of Telegram's scale, even temporarily. Following the directive, at least one telecom operator restricted access to the service, while Telegram's app listing was removed from both Google Play and Apple's App Store in India.
The controversy follows the cancellation of the NEET examination last month after authorities discovered that question papers had been leaked in advance, triggering nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of examination security measures.
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