The Indian crypto community on X sharply criticized the Narendra Modi government's decision to temporarily ban the Telegram social media app until June 22 over exam paper leak concerns. After
The Indian crypto community on X sharply criticized the Narendra Modi government's decision to temporarily ban the Telegram social media app until June 22 over exam paper leak concerns.
After the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam paper was leaked last month, are set to retake it on June 21.
The Indian government decided to ban Telegram over concerns that bad actors could again leak the paper using the app ahead of the retest.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam, backed the move, noting that organized cheating networks had used Telegram to defraud candidates and compromise exam integrity, describing the ban as a measure of "last resort" after earlier takedown efforts fell short.
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Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov didn't hold back.
He slammed the government's move, arguing the ban punishes 150 million ordinary Telegram users in India instead of the "insiders" behind the leaks.
When an X user pointed out that bad actors had simply moved to other platforms like WhatsApp and X to distribute papers, Durov's response was a single word: "Obviously."
The backlash wasn't limited to Telegram's CEO. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), an Indian digital rights group, called the ban a "band-aid solution" and a "disproportionate answer" to the paper leak problem.
The group is known for challenging issues involving censorship, digital surveillance, and privacy. Its criticism carries weight. The IFF has previously taken on Sam Altman's World blockchain project over alleged privacy concerns linked to its iris-scanning system, making it a familiar voice in debates where technology and civil liberties collide.
The Indian crypto community was equally critical. Many users quickly questioned both the effectiveness and logic of the ban.
One crypto user, who goes by the X handle "Onlycryptonopo2," claimed they could access Telegram via a private DNS.
works for me lmeow pic.twitter.com/WY3hEhleMM
— しん | elfa.ai (🦄/acc) (@Onlycryptonopo2) June 16, 2026
Another X user with the display name "Crypto Blueprint" said such blanket bans punish the infrastructure instead of criminals. While ordinary Telegram users lose access, bad actors switch to other apps within seconds, they added.
Another crypto user on X, with the handle "CryptoBudhha," decried that the government will next shut down the internet.
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