The trap of fake news
Since the last two days, there is a news from Kerala that’s making rounds across the social media. The tweet titled as ‘Hindu woman brutally attacked, and god’s statue desecrated in Kerala’ has originated from Shanknaad. ‘Why is Bollywood silent over this?’ is the next query put up by this originator of the news. The same Shankhnaad had tweeted a very instigating and provocative message during Kathua rape case stating Hindu temples were being destroyed in the region when people took out a march demanding justice for the little girl raped and murdered. Ironically enough, a lot of ‘important’ and ‘prominent’ people in the society have responded to this tweet. General public is comparing the fake news of vandalizing of Hindu temple against the Kathua rape case, to debate on ‘secularism’ being the weakest link. This tweet is used to defend unimaginable arguments on the social media. It’s vileness is unbelievable.
But tragically and ironically enough, this news and images of a woman being attacked is not even a news from India. The fake news buster website ‘Alt News’ published that this story is fake and put out an article exposing the origin of this story. It was shocking. Shankhanaad has used the news and images/pictures of a woman being attacked in Chittagong in Bangladesh. It is more than six months old.
This lady, the resident of Bangladesh was being attacked by her neighbours Pradeep Ghosh and Biswajeet. They had barged into her house to assault her, and had harmed the Gods’ idols and other holy articles she had kept in her house. This news was published in Bangladeshi facebook page.
The team Shankhnaad, took this news and turned it around to suit its vile narrative to mislead the people who believe just about everything that gets circulated on the social media. A group called ‘We support Narendra Modi’ had shared this widely too. Shankhnaad is known for its appetite of generating and sharing fake news. Their fake news stories often get deleted if people call out their fake news game in large numbers. By then the news would have travelled far and wide.
Some groups are sharing this incident that occurred in 2015, and are linking this to something more gruesome that happened now. A news about a girl called ‘Geetha’ being raped is being circulated now. However, there has been no official confirmation yet on this incident. After the Kathua rape case, even the most secular and progressive minds are sharing this news, responding to it and are falling into the trap created by the radical forces. In the recent times, a website called ‘Post Card’ was also in news for the same reason. It had tried to create unrest in the society by convoluting the news of a jain monk injured in accident, as that of a monk being attacked by Muslims.
A case was registered against the owner of Post Card, he was arrested and later released. But ironically enough, leaders of a particular party stood by him, defended him and called it an attack on the freedom of press. Among those who defended Post Card was Mysuru-Kodagu Member of Parliament Pratap Simha. In just three days after he openly defended Post Card, Pratap Simha was made member of committee which was to be the watch dog of the media. The situation is now very conducive for anyone to create and circulate fake news. A few outfits that are closely linked with political forces are carrying out this work in connivance with the radical organisations that already exist. They work in tandem with fake news sites like Post Card, Shankh Naad etc. Their main agenda is to diver people from more important issues where the government is failing. On one hand Modi government has been unsuccessful in delivering a good administration. The effect of note ban still continues to haunt people. People are not getting money in the ATMs. Petrol and diesel rates are skyrocketing day by day. And during times of distress such as this, fake news generating and circulating sites have the main job of diverting people’s attention from basic things such as livelihood, to a sense of feeling communally insecure.
India lost good reputation after Kathua incident occurred. Our country had to lose its face before other countries and international agencies. People condemned it across gender, religion and faith. This incident was denounced not because it was a case or rape alone, but for the obvious seeds of communal disharmony it carried in itself.
Some lawyers taking to streets to defend the accused, and people’s harsh criticism to this; prompted sites like Post Card and Shankh Naad to create and circulate fake news. Their intention was to silence the protests by way of raising questions like ‘why are the Kathua sympathizers not criticizing this?’
Not only that, they even tried creating a narrative that the girl was not raped at all in Kathua case. All this was a part of creating a supporting space, among people for the rape accused. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced a vigilance committee to check the circulation of fake news. Though Shankh Naad and Fake News are spreading lies and canards at the drop of a hat, the committee has displayed a very selective blindness towards them. Because all these lies and baseless rumours help the Sangh Parivar and the current party that’s in power in the centre. Hence, the government is also being blind to this.
At the same time, those members of media who went to bust the fake news and rumours are being hounded by the government. For all these reasons, just as the media needs to have its own regulatory mechanism to check the genuinity of the news, even the readers need to apply the same to their discretion.
The alert citizens need to check the veracity of whatever news is circulated in the social media before believing it or circulating it further. The social media today is a massive khedda of fake news. And the casualties would be everyone who consumes it and circulates it. Sometimes even the most alert citizens may suffer owing to this. Hence it is everyone’s duty to fight against such divisive forces to keep the society healthy and safe for our children.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
