The Economist magazine has accused India of hostile censorship after officials insisted that a map in the latest edition be covered up as it showed disputed borders in Kashmir. Customs officers ordered that 28,000 copies of the news weekly must have stickers placed over a diagram showing how control of Kashmir is split between India, Pakistan and China. New Delhi imposes tight restrictions on all printed maps, insisting they show all of Kashmir as being part of India.
“India is meant to be a democracy that approves of freedom of speech,” John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of The Economist, told AFP. “But they take a much more hostile attitude on this matter than either Pakistan or China.” He added, “This is an act of censorship, and many wise and sensible voices in India see it has no point.” The map is used as an illustration for a front-page story on “The world’s most dangerous border” between India and Pakistan.