The Haryana government has decided to extend the internet blockage in parts of the state till August 5 in the midst of the rising reports of misinformation and social media-fueled violence.
The communal violence in Haryana districts – Nuh, Gurugram, Faridabad – has taken the country by storm, with the death toll rising to six, including two police personnel. In the midst of the staunch security measures, the Haryana government has decided to extend the internet blockage for two more days.
Now, the Manohar Lal Khattar-run Haryana government is in the middle of preparing a document recording the spike in misinformation and fake social media posts which eventually sparked the communal clashes in Nuh earlier this week.
According to sources quoted by India Today, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology recorded an unusual spike in content related to the communal violence in Haryana, which was hateful and violence-inciting in nature.
Later, the central and the state government launched a massive crackdown against several social media accounts which had posted hateful content online, eventually leading up to the violence on July 31 across Nuh, spreading to Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, and other districts.
As per the authorities, 100 social media accounts have been continuously spreading misinformation and spreading religion-based hate speech, which led to a mob attacking a religious procession passing through the Nuh district, sparking a wave of communal violence.
The misinformation spread on social media, leading up to the violence, claimed that Monu Manesar, a murder accused and Bajrang Dal leader, was part of the procession led by the Hindu religious group. However, Manesar said that he was not a part of the procession.
The news about Monu Manesar being a part of the religious processions sparked an outrage from the other religious group, which led to stone pelting, and eventual violence. The Centre has now cracked down on the 100 social media accounts which spread misinformation, and these accounts are expected to be suspended soon.
READ | ‘Who gave swords, weapons to religious yatris?’: Union Minister’s stern remark on Haryana violence
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