CM Yogi Adityanath directs strict action against those spreading fake news on social media

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday reacted to the Ghaziabad viral video directing 'strict action' against those who were spreading misinformation on social media. After the Ghaziabad Loni incident caused a massive uproar on Twitter, CM Yogi Adityanath asserted that any attempt to spread communal harmony will not be tolerated and such attempts will be dealt with firmly.

"Strict action should be taken against those spreading propaganda on social media. Strictly deal with those spreading fake videos, fake news. Not a single attempt to spread communal harmony will be accepted," said Yogi Adityanath. 

FIR against Twitter over Ghaziabad viral video

On June 15, a controversy broke out on Twitter after several news media outlets and handles peddled a 'communal narrative' over a video of an elderly man being assaulted in Uttar Pradesh. The video which had no sound showed an elderly man Abdul Samad Saifi being assaulted and his beard being forcibly cut by unknown persons who allegedly asked him to chant slogans of Jai Shri Ram. Later, the investigation revealed that the man was assaulted by members of his own community after the 'amulets' that he made for them did not work. 

When several news publications gave the incident a communal spin, the UP police registered an FIR against Twitter, Twitter India, and 7 others over the video accusing the social media platform of enabling 'criminal conspiracy' against the state. 

The police stated in the FIR, "The statements which were made on Twitter were not the opinion of a person but done with a clear intention. These tweets point towards a criminal conspiracy. The aforesaid accused and other unknown persons tried to spread hatred and hostility between Hindus and Muslims. It is clear that these tweets were posted to further a common goal of creating a religious divide and disturbing religious harmony. Such tweets were propagated on a large scale."