Incendiary Tweets on Ayodhya Run Rife, Why Isn’t Police Acting?

Ahead of the Ayodhya verdict, inflammatory tweets are being circulated on social media. Will the police take action?

Ahead of the Ayodhya verdict, inflammatory tweets are being circulated, will the police take action against errant users?

(Illustration: Erum Gour/The Quint)

Days before the Ayodhya verdict is expected to be delivered by the Supreme Court several inflammatory tweets have started running rife on Twitter.

On 4 November, UP DGP OP Singh had said “social media platforms are being closely monitored by a team of officials and any objectionable or inflammatory post would invite action”.

That the incendiary tweets haven’t been taken down and the Twitter handles on which they were posted continue to be active suggests no action against errant users has been taken thus far.

In an interview to the Economic Times on 8 November, Singh talked about “identifying 1,659 people on social media out of which 593 had been made to sign a bond under CrPC to ensure that they don’t make any inflammatory comment.”

Here are a few tweets that are doing the rounds on social media at present:

(Screenshot: Twitter)

(Screenshot: Twitter)

Few others have been not so provocative yet are marked by religious overtone:

‘Ayodhya Toh Bas Jhanki Hai’

Another song posted on YouTube by Ashish Singh Neta says, ‘Hua surakshit faisla, sirf sunana baki hai’ (Translation: The judgment has been made, it only needs to be announced).

It adds, ‘Ayodhya toh bas jhanki hai, Kashi Mathura baki hai’(Ayodhya is just the beginning, Kashi and Mathura will be next).

The video posted on 7 November has very few views thus far but its message is quite clearly communal.

Preparations Ahead of Ayodhya Verdict

The UP police and district administration of Ayodhya has clained that they are well-prepared to deal with the fall-out of the verdict.

According to an order by the Ayodhya district magistrate, “social media platforms are being closely monitored. Sharing and liking any contentious posts on social media about the Ayodhya verdict will also attract police action.”

News reports suggest that the police has formed a special social media cell ‘to keep an eye on objectionable content’.

‘Clear Message Needs to Be Sent’: Former UP DGP

The Quint has sent an email to the office of UP DGP seeking information on what is being done to check such tweets’ circulation. We will update the copy as and when we receive a response.

While addressing the media on 4 November Singh had mentioned the police will invoke NSA (National Security Act) against those “who attempt to disrupt law and order”.

Speaking to The Quint over the phone, former UP DGP Vikram Singh said, “The police should register a case immediately. Clear message needs to be sent.”

According to him, Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code that prescribes punishment of imprisonment of up to three years and fine or both for ‘promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion race etc’ can be invoked in cases such as these. He added that besides Section 153A of the IPC, the two more legal provisions which can be invoked against inflammatory content are:

• Sub Section 3 under National Security Act 1980, which states:

“The Central Government or the State Government may, if satisfied with respect to any person that with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State or from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of Public order or from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community it is necessary so to do, make an order directing that such person be detained.”

• UP Gangsters Act which prescribes punishment to a group or an individual for indulging in acts likely to disturb public order.