The Amit Shah-run union home ministry recently appointed a thinktank on how to ‘spot and investigate’ fake news. This thinktank, amongst many things, red-flagged the targeting of minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the allegedly doctored audio clip of the Tablighi Jamaat chief in its 40-page report. However, according to an Indian Express article, the report has been pulled down within a day of being posted online, stating that there were some ‘corrections being made following which the report will be uploaded again’.
The same newspaper had on Saturday reported that the Delhi police had said that the Tablighi Jamaat audio clip that told people to not observe social distancing had been ‘doctored’. However, the Delhi police rubbished the report, saying that “the news is not only factually incorrect but seems to be based on wholly unverified sources and purely conjectural imagination”.
The guide, meanwhile, stated: “One of the fake news spreading vectors is fake videos. Here, most of the video content carries false message, hatred, communal violence, etc., to spread panic.”
The guide also suggested various steps and resources for the “investigation of fake news related videos”. One case it referred to is a video that shows people acting as Muslims to discourage those in the community from following precautions related to the pandemic.
The guide also suggested various steps and resources for the “investigation of fake news related videos”. One case it referred to is a video that shows people acting as Muslims to discourage those in the community from following precautions related to the pandemic.
Some of the other instances of “fake news” cited by BPR&D included UPI IDs for PMCARES Fund, a Ministry of Health order on PPE kit specifications and a Telangana government order on opening of liquor shops on March 28.
The document titled Fake News and Disinformation: How to spot and investigate - A guide for Law Enforcement Agencies, ostensibly to spot ‘fake news’ mentions a host of sites which many in the right-wing and among the government’s supporters consider biased against the current regime.
To reiterate, the bureau comes under the Home Ministry’s ambit which is headed by former BJP president and a man seen to be PM Modi’s closest confidant – Amit Shah.
These included The Quint and AltNews, two organisations which are viewed quite derisively by the current dispensation
Not a single popular right-wing website including Swarajya and OpIndia.com were mentioned in the report.
Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha tweeted: “The Bureau of Police Research and Development under Ministry of Home Affairs has listed @AltNews under resources for both fact-checking as well as investigation assistance. As an organisation, we are happy to offer any help that could slow down the flow of misinformation.”
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