India's cybercrime agency has ordered GitHub to remove three repositories belonging to Bitchat, the decentralized messaging app founded by Jack Dorsey. The takedown notice, which gave the platform just three hours to comply, was issued amid student protests over the NEET 2026 exam, where demonstrators used Bitchat to communicate during internet blackouts in New Delhi. Dorsey publicly disclosed the government order on X (formerly Twitter) on July 24.
The takedown order
The order targeted three specific Bitchat repositories on GitHub. India's cybercrime agency demanded their removal within three hours. The exact legal basis for the takedown hasn't been made public, but the timing lines up with the government's efforts to curb communication channels used by protesters.
Why Bitchat was targeted
Bitchat is a Bitcoin-linked messaging app that runs on a decentralized network, making it harder to shut down than traditional platforms. During the NEET 2026 protests, students in New Delhi faced internet blackouts but kept in touch through Bitchat. That's likely what drew the government's attention. The app's decentralized nature means simply blocking a website or server doesn't stop it — but removing its source code from GitHub could slow development and distribution.
Dorsey's response
Dorsey posted a screenshot of the government notice on X on Friday. He didn't add any comment, just the image. The notice itself is dated July 24 and carries the letterhead of India's cybercrime coordination unit. It's not the first time Indian authorities have gone after messaging apps during protests — but targeting a decentralized, Bitcoin-based one is a new twist.
What happens next
GitHub hasn't said whether it removed the repositories. The three-hour deadline passed on Friday, but the company often pushes back on takedown requests that it considers overbroad or legally questionable. For now, the repos appear to still be up — at least as of this writing. The bigger question is whether India will escalate, and how a decentralized app like Bitchat can survive when its code is under direct attack from a government.
