Ministry cold to M’luru cops’ request on hate FB pages
2017-03-11T18:12:36.897ZMangaluru: Mangaluru city police which wants to end online peddling of communal hate through social networking sites, finds itself swimming against the tide. This stems from the seeming lack of cooperation and reluctance of the Union ministry of electronics and IT to act on its request to block pages on such sites.
Last year after derogatory remarks were posted on Facebook demeaning Hindu goddess Sri Durga Parameshwari of Kateel and other gods, police took the bold stand to block such accounts. They wrote to the group coordinator, cyber law, ministry of electronics and IT, New Delhi, last October armed with a JMFC order to block certain FB pages. to no avail.
“As FB officials did not heed our requests, with permission from the state government, we searched the office of Facebook in Mumbai. When Facebook refused to extend its cooperation, the investigating officer registered a case of non-cooperation against the social media website,” said M Chandra Sekhar, city police commissioner. “We don’t know why the ministry concerned is not acting tough on such threats which disrupt law and order,” he told STOI.
City police wrote to B K Murthy, group co-ordinator, Cyber Law, armed with the order of JMFC second court during the Kateel goddess issue requesting that FB pages be blocked. As per the court order, they requested that as many as 11 FB pages that includes Mangalore Muslims—which trolled 22-year-old Suhana Sayed who sang a Hindu bhajan at a Kannada reality show – be blocked.
A senior police officer, who wished to remain anonymous reacted saying, “Our government especially at the Centre is harping on internal security but it’s in deep slumber when it comes to implementation.”
Every page irrespective of any religious faction contains literature, photos and videos inciting communal tensions among communities. “We have around 6,000 plus followers on our FB page, and this is the reason why we have created a page to counter several saffron-outfit pages which are several in number,” said a page administrator, who recently spoke to TOI from Saudi Arabia on condition of anonymity.
Sharing `messages’ on social media can invite trouble
Think twice before forwarding or sharing derogatory jokes, videos or morphed images of anyone on social media. You might be arrested for the same under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code.
The section says whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report (b) with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquility; or (c) with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to six to three years or with fine, or with both.
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ADMINS ARE ABROAD
According to reliable sources, most administrators of FB pages, whose main aim is to propagate religious views and spread hatred in society, are based out of Mangaluru. “Most of the page administrators operate from Gulf countries and outside Mangaluru. This gives them not only a free hand in posting obscene content but they also remain safe in case of any police complaint. They update posts on a daily basis,” reveals an investigation officer.
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FB account and pages recommended be blocked
Jabbar BC Rood
Jabbar Kudroli
Mazin Manglore
Shafi BM
Sooraj Ganiga Mitturu
Muslim Yuwa Sene
Mangalore Muslims
Nanobba Katta Byari
Mikaltho Byari
Nanobba Hindu
