Respond to this, Twitter bosses! Here's Republic's 5th letter to the social media platform on Shehla Rashid and co.'s fake news about Kashmir

In continuance of the demand for Twitter action against handles on its platform peddling fake and unverified news against India, especially about Kashmir, Republic TV has written again to the microblogging website, in what is the fifth such letter. The letter comes against the backdrop of Shehla Rashid being called out by the Army for peddling fake news on Kashmir.

READ: Criminal complaint against Shehla Rashid by Supreme Court lawyer over her 'baseless tweets', Tukde lies called out by Army

Attaching the Indian Army statement of August 18, Republic demanded the following answer from Twitter:

• We request the handle of @Shehla_Rashid to be deregistered and suspended immediately.  Twitter has yet not alerted us on the action they are taking against Pakistani fake-news handlers that are attacking India's national security.
   
• Twitter has not responded to our earlier queries on when these fake news peddlers will be deregistered, why they were bestowed with credibility by being given the verification 'blue tick''.

QUERIES TO TWITTER

1) Does Twitter intend to take action against these fake news accounts that are provoking violence and spreading anti India propoganda ? When will this action be taken ?  The propoganda machines spread panic in the Valley and incite violence akin to waging war against the Indian Nation under  Section 121,IPC  (Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) 153 A ,IPC ( Promoting enmity between different groups) 

2)Does Twitter intend to deregister @Shehla_Rashid,  Zaid Hamid  @ZaidZamanHamid ( and not only suspend the account in India ) , Hamza Ali Abbas @iamhamzaabbasi ,and other fake news peddlars ,who have through their    tweets with malafide intent  ,  tried to provoke violence in the Kashmir Valley ,flare anti India sentiments and  incite communities against each other ? 

3) Is it correct and just to give verification to sponsored handles that spew venom and compromise  India's national interest, for commercial interests off Twitter? 

REQUESTS MADE

• We request you, to identify and block all handles spreading fake news, inciting communities and provoking violence against each other.
   
• We request you, to give a detailed statement on the malicious content on your platform.
   
• We request immediate action against anti-national and ISI backed Pakistan handles that are continuing warmongering in India.
   
• We request banning blue tick verification to handles that post content to destabilize peace in India.We request you to take uniform action irrespective of the country. Twitter cant be seen as an intermediary for terror-linked handles and sympathisers.
   
• We request Twitter to comply with Indian IT Laws and the Indian Penal Code

Here is the full text of the letter:

SUB-  Anti India campaign launched by Anti National handles spreading Fake News

KIND ATTENTION PLEASE

1) In the past weeks we have seen elements , within and outside , India  spread fake news on Twitter on the abrogation of  Article 370.

The Fake News campaign is motivated and a part of a larger conspiracy to create unrest in the Kashmir Valley, provoke violence ,incite communities and destroy India's national unity and sovereignty

INDIAN ARMY STATEMENT 

The Indian Army on 18.8.19 , rejected the 'baseless' claims of Shehla Rashid who alleged atrocities against Kashmir residents by the Forces.  

The Armed forces called out the divisive attempts by 'inimical elements' to "incite the population" in Jammu and Kashmir, amid the ongoing circumstances in the valley with the abrogation of Article 370 and the consequent communication blockade still present in parts of the valley.

"Allegations levelled by Shehla Rashid are baseless and rejected. Such unverified and fake news is spread by inimical elements and organisations to incite unsuspecting population," the Army stated.

In a series of tweets,Shehla  Rashid had on 18.8.19 , Sunday said, "People are saying that Jammu and Kashmir Police has no authority on law and order situation. They have been rendered powerless. Everything is in the hands of paramilitary forces. One SHO was transferred on complaint of a CRPF man.SHOs carrying batons. Service revolvers can't be seen on them.

In another post, she wrote, "Armed forces are entering houses at night, picking up boys, ransacking houses, deliberately spilling rations on the floor, mixing oil with rice, etc."

Rashid also claimed that in Shopian, four men were called into the "Army camp and "interrogated" (tortured).

"A mic was kept close to them so that the entire area could hear them scream, and be terrorised. This created an environment of fear in the entire area," she wrote

KIND URGENT ATTENTION 

The vitrolic language used by these handles ,with blue ticks , is inciting violence ,  provoking communities against each other, and compromising our sovereignty.

These handles are  used to hatemonger and warmonger over Kashmir, following J&K's complete integration.

We request handle of @Shehla_Rashid to be deregistered, and suspended  immediately.

Twitter has yet not alerted us on the action they are taking against Pakistani fake-news  handlers that are attacking India's national security , 

Twitter has not responded to our earlier queries on when these fake news peddlars will be deregistered ,why they were  bestowed with  credibility by being given the  verification 'blue tick''.

QUERIES TO TWITTER

1) Does Twitter intend to take action against these fake news accounts that are provoking violence and spreading anti India propoganda ?  When will this action be taken ? 

The propoganda machines spread panic in the Valley and incite violence akin to waging war against the Indian Nation under Section 121,IPC  (Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) 153 A ,IPC ( Promoting enmity between different groups) 

2)Does Twitter intend to deregister @Shehla_Rashid,  Zaid Hamid  @ZaidZamanHamid ( and not only suspend the account in India ) , Hamza Ali Abbas @iamhamzaabbasi ,and other fake news peddlars ,who have through their    tweets with malafide intent  ,  tried to provoke violence in the Kashmir Valley ,flare anti India sentiments and  incite communities against each other ? 

3) Is it  correct and just to give verification to  sponsored handles that spew venom and compromise  India's national  interest ,for  commerical interests off Twitter ? 

We request you , to identify and block all handles spreading fake news , inciting communities and provoking violence against each other

We request You, to give a detailed statement on the malicious content on your platform.

We request immediate action against anti national and ISI backed pakistan handles that are continuing warmongering in India.

We request banning blue tick verification to handles that post content to destabilize peace in India.We request you to take uniform action irrespective of the country.Twitter cant be seen as an intermediary for terror linked handles and sympathisers

We request Twitter to comply with Indian IT Laws and the Indian Penal Code .

Republic Media Network has  been the target of their Anti India campaign which saw a deviously doctored video of Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami being circulated by them.The handle that originally spread the fake spliced-and-diced video of Republic deleted it in an admission of its inauthenticity, but not before a number of usual suspects from Pakistan, some with a large reach, spread it widely on Twitter.

Pakistan's ISI and anti National  handles have launched a fake-news war agains India. Twitter should  realise the serious consequences of delaying action against this kind of provocative anti-national fake-news and take immediate action .

We ask, your company , Twitter , that began in 2006 , headquartered in San Francisco, USA , to kindly respond to our earnest and concerned queries .

Thank you

READ: Exclusive: J&K governor's advisor K Vijay Kumar says 'every step is to ensure the security of common man in Kashmir' over security measures take

INDIAN ARMY CALLS OUT RUMOUR MONGERING 

The Indian Army on Sunday rejected the 'baseless' claims of Shehla Rashid who alleged atrocities against Kashmir residents by the Forces. The Armed forces called out the divisive attempts by 'inimical elements' to "incite the population" in Jammu and Kashmir, amid the ongoing circumstances in the Valley with the abrogation of Article 370.

"Allegations levelled by Shehla Rashid are baseless and rejected. Such unverified and fake news is spread by inimical elements and organisations to incite unsuspecting population," the Army stated.

In a series of tweets, Shehla Rashid had on Sunday said, "People are saying that Jammu and Kashmir Police has no authority on law and order situation. They have been rendered powerless. Everything is in the hands of paramilitary forces. One SHO was transferred on complaint of a CRPF man.SHOs carrying batons. Service revolvers can't be seen on them." In another post, she wrote, "Armed forces are entering houses at night, picking up boys, ransacking houses, deliberately spilling rations on the floor, mixing oil with rice, etc."

Rashid also claimed that in Shopian, four men were called into the "Army camp and "interrogated" (tortured)." "A mic was kept close to them so that the entire area could hear them scream, and be terrorised. This created an environment of fear in the entire area," she wrote.

READ: J&K: Indian Army calls out Tukde lies, puts Shehla Rashid's rumour-mongering in its place

Republic has been relentlessly campaigning calling for Twitter to act against blue-ticked and other handles spreading fake news on Kashmir, with the action that has been taken on certain Pakistani handles being complained about by Pak DG-ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor.

READ | Now, Pakistan hits out at Twitter & Facebook for suspending its hate-fuelling accounts; whines about 'Indian staff'