Govt to go after anti-national elements on social media

JAMMU: As Intelligence agencies have singled out nearly 50 WhatsApp groups involved in mobilising stone-throwers in the Valley, the state government has decided to constitute dedicated teams of IT experts to counter the anti-India propaganda on the social media.

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 9

As Intelligence agencies have singled out nearly 50 WhatsApp groups involved in mobilising stone-throwers in the Valley, the state government has decided to constitute dedicated teams of IT experts to counter the anti-India propaganda on the social media.

Besides countering the vicious campaign being launched by some groups on the social media, allegedly being handled from across the border, the IT teams will also highlight the achievements of the government to address the alienation among youth.

Minister for Information Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said his department had decided to counter the social media campaign through teams to foil the nefarious designs of forces inimical to peace.

“The process in this regard has already been initiated,” the minister said. He admitted that anti-national elements were using the social media as a tool to foment bloodshed and violence in the Valley. The social media is being used by militant groups and stone-throwers in the Valley to exploit the sentiments of people.

The National Investigating Agency has identified 48 WhatsApp groups which provoked the crowd and orchestrated stone-throwing to interfere with anti-terror operations.

As per reports, the analysis of mobile phones further revealed that creators, administrators and some members of the WhatsApp groups were based in Pakistan and even included identified cadres of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah.

In April this year, the authorities blocked 300 WhatsApp groups for instigating violence in the Valley. Each group had more than 250 members. Other social groups were also blocked to counter the vicious campaign by some elements.

To prevent the misuse of social media during protests or anti-militancy operations, the government usually snaps Internet services in the Valley.

The minister said like the mainstream media, the social media also had the potential to play an important role in establishing peace in the state.

Countering propaganda

The state government has decided to constitute dedicated teams of IT experts to counter the anti-India propaganda on the social media
The IT teams will also highlight the achievements of the government to address the alienation among youth