Image Courtesy: ANI
In two days since the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute, the Uttar Pradesh police has arrested more than 80 people from all over the state for allegedly trying to disturb communal harmony through venom spewing social media posts.
After the apex court’s verdict on the issue, the police registered 34 cases in the matter. Action has been taken against 8,275 posts put on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube including 4,563 posts on Sunday. Twitter took the cake for objectionable posts with 2869, while Facebook followed close behind with 1355 posts. 98 videos on YouTube were reported.
News 18 reported that several users were asked to remove inflammatory content and the accounts which failed to comply with police orders were suspended.
The state police, administration officials and religious leaders had made several appeals to the public to refrain from posting sensitive content that could be communally disruptive. The DGP of Uttar Pradesh, OP Singh, had earlier stated that those found posting objectionable posts on social media platforms will be dealt strictly and that National Security Act (NSA) could also be slapped on the culprits, if needed.
In Madhya Pradesh, eight people were arrested in Seoni and two in Gwalior for posting objectionable messages on social media and bursting crackers. The state police had imposed a ban on such post-verdict activities by imposing section 144 on UP, Rajasthan and Maharashtra among others.
Two others were arrested from GautamBuddh Nagar in Noida on Sunday under Section 295A of the IPC ((deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 506 (criminal intimidation) for posting malicious content that could have caused communal discord. They have also been booked under the Technology Act and their mobile phones have been seized.
“In the first case, the accused had shared a post on Facebook which could have caused communal discord and hence he was arrested and a case filed against him,” a police officer said.
“In the second case, the accused was held around 3.45 pm for a post he shared on Facebook earlier this (Sunday) morning. His post could have triggered religious disharmony and he had had twice shared such posts in October,” the official said.
Some hate messages that did the rounds
Followed by PM Modi
Let’s convert a few mosques into mental asylums to provide help to folks like you#IndiaWantsRamMandir
— #IndiaFirst ?? (@savitha_rao) June 4, 2018
By the Vice President at the BJP youth wing
वेटा @asadowaisi चूल्हा जलेगा तुम्हारे भी घर
मंदिर पर फूल बेचना
होगा बसर
???#RamMandirInAyodhya #मेरे_राम_मेरे_अभिमान #मंदिर_वहीं_बनाएंगे #जय_श्री_राम @SaffronSangh #Bevkufo_का_बाप_मंडल #राम_सत्य_हैं_राम_ही_साक्षी #RamMandir pic.twitter.com/ypa0Z0PRBQ— Akshay (@Akshay62608585) November 11, 2019
“Nationalist”
The time is very near when hindus will build ram temple at ayodhya the verdict will come in favour of Hindus becz islam is not exist in our country Islam is forcefully spread in name of jihad during islamic rule
— anubhav pandey (@Anubhav_pandey_) November 6, 2019
“Deshbhakt”
#गिरफ्तार_करो_ओवैसी_को
अयोध्या हुई हमारी, काशी मथुरा की बारी#AyodhaVerdict #kashi #Mathura #Ramrajya #JaiShriRam— ??Abhishek Pandey? #IamAgniveer (@abhishek9192007) November 11, 2019
Most of the posts published on social media have been coming in from the right-win trolls who seem relieved to get claim to their land. While everyone – right from the administration to the police and even parties involved in the suit called for peace and calm, the Hindutva brigade would not give it a rest.
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