What is the issue?
There has been a recent series of mob lynching, fuelled by rumours circulated through social media.
What are the recent happenings?
- Across the country, more than 20 people have been lynched due to fake news of child lifting.
- Moreover, dozens of other attacks on strangers, including on 24 individuals in Odisha alone.
- In Tripura, a man sent by the government to stop lynchings was himself lynched by villagers.
- Mobs are increasingly driven by viral rumours of child-kidnappers.
- Free messaging service, the Whats App, provided the platform for spreading disinformation.
What does it imply?
- Across the country, lynching and mob vigilantism appear to have got acceptance.
- This indicates a deep sense of insecurity among so many ordinary Indians.
- The state’s security apparatus failed to use the same social media platform to counter the rumours.
- More than being a law and order issue, the incidents also imply a deeper societal crisis, especially in cases of cow slaughter that emerges from religious intolerance.
- A sense of "other" is seemed to have gripped the Indian society.
- There is failure on part of the political establishment to censure such incidents also sends a signal of tolerance towards lynching.
- It is more pronounced in the case of minorities, tribals and Dalits who are at the receiving end.
What is the government response?
- Centre's directive - The Centre has advised states and UTs to take steps in this regard by keeping a watch for early detection of such rumours.
- Home Affairs Ministry has directed states and UTs to initiate measures to counter them.
- MEITY - Ministry of Electronics and IT is holding WhatsApp responsible for such incidents.
- The platform has been advised to take remedial measures to prevent fake message proliferation.
- It has asked WhatsApp to ensure that their platform is not used for malafide activities.
What are the concerns?
- The government response to go after WhatsApp is misplaced.
- In WhatsApp, messages are said to be encrypted, which makes it impossible for any to intercept.
- Given this, methods to limit the spread of sensational messages is unclear.
- Also, such checks would amount to legitimising surveillance and a loss of privacy.
- Besides, the messaging medium is not the issue with the recent incidents.
- The government response seems to be an abdication of responsibility.
What does the US experience show?
- In US, the first amendment rejects making any law prohibiting and abridging the freedom of speech.
- When they had to deal with lynchings in their past, they responded by strengthening the State.
- They increased policing, bettered law enforcement and invested more in the justice system.
What is the way forward?
- Banning news, internet blackouts and letters to WhatsApp may not address the root cause.
- Factors such as demonisation of communities - Muslims, tribals, outsiders - should be addressed.
- Stringent condemnation, and timely prosecuting of the perpetrators are essential.
- Political messaging and administrative alerts are key to stopping the string of lynchings.
- District administrations and gram panchayats can be asked to reach out to locals to persuade them against falling for rumours.
Source: Business Standard, The Hindu
