UP govt takes action against those spreading fake news

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, April 10

To check the dangers of fake news spreading communal hatred in Uttar Pradesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state government has already registered 78 cases until Thursday against those spreading fake news on the social media, said additional chief secretary Avanish Awasthi.

Speaking to reporters, he said that of these 24 cases were against users of Facebook, an equal number of cases against Twitter users, a dozen cases against WhatsApp users and 18 cases against TikTok users.

The situation has become explosive, as fake news, regarding the behaviour of Tablighi Jamaat people who are recovering from COVID 19 or are under quarantine has caused much heartburn and tension.

When Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath interacted with more than 300 leaders of all religious denominations on April 5, one of the requests he had was to convince their respective followers to unitedly fight the virus and abstain from spreading fake news to poison the atmosphere.

Uttar Pradesh DGP H C Awasthi also admitted that even the central government had directed them to keep an eye on fake news on the social media and take appropriate action against the guilty.

Fake news instances

1.  News appeared in a section of the media that in Rampur quarantined Tablighi Jamaat persons had demanded non vegetarian food and had defecated in the open. The Saharanpur police investigated the matter and found it completely wrong. It advised the media to check facts before reporting.

2.  A heated exchange at a teashop in Prayagraj led to one person being killed. It was reported that the accused was a Jamaati who had fired at the victim as he had charged him with spreading the disease. The accused had nothing to do with the Jamaat, clarified the police.

3.  Even a news channel used by political leaders to give exclusive news bytes is guilty. In a tweet, DCP Noida charged it with misquoting him. “UP people who had come in contact with the positive case were quarantined as per laid procedure. There was no mention of Tablighi Jamaat. You are misquoting and spreading fake news.”

4.  In Bareilly, the police enforced lockdown when they found some youths playing cards on the street. Later, a group of 70-80 youths attacked the police station injuring the ASP and other police officers alleging that the police had injured a youth. The police baton-charged to disperse the violent crowd. Medical examination found the youth feigning injury. Newspapers reported that Tablighi Jamaat attacked the police when it was enforcing lockdown. The SSP had to clarify that this was untrue.

5.  Another leading national news channel tweeted that Tablighi Jamaat corona positive persons had pelted a health team with stones in Firozabad. The Firozabad police directed the news channel to delete the tweet as the news was untrue as there had not been any attack on any medical team or ambulance in Firozabad.