The government on Wednesday ordered Twitter to immediately take down handles and hashtags that suggested a farmer genocide was being planned, saying such misinformation and inflammatory content would incite passion and impact public order.
It warned Twitter of penal action in case of failure to comply with its directive. In a strongly-worded notice to Twitter, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said it had on January 31 asked the micro-blogging site to block 257 URLs (web addresses) and one hashtag under the relevant provision of the law as they were spreading misinformation about (farmer) protests and has the potential to lead to imminent violence affecting public order situation in the country.
NEW DELHI: Twitter withheld an unspecified number of accounts in India in response to a “legal request” and then restored them around 9pm on Monday. The accounts included those of newsmagazine Caravan, Kisan Ekta Morcha (the IT cell of Samyukt Kisan Morcha), tribal leader Hansraj Meena and actor Sushant Singh all engaged with the ongoing farmers protests.
News agency ANI quoting “sources” reported that the ministry of electronics and information (MEITY) had asked Twitter to block around 250 tweets/Twitter accounts that were using a hashtag that was “fake, intimidatory and provocative” under section 69A of the IT Act. MEITY had acted on a request of the Union Home ministry and law enforcement agencies, who asked for suspension to “prevent any escalation of the law and order in view of the ongoing protests,” the news agency added.
Secretariat mosques: Congress seeks clarity on date for re-construction
By Mohammed Hussain| Published: 30th January 2021 6:12 pm IST Touted to be an iconic building, the Telangana government has sanctioned Rs 617 crore for the construction of the new Secretariat complex. (Twitter)
Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) minorities department chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail on Saturday demanded that TRS government make an official announcement on when the foundation stones of re-construction of two mosques and a temple in the Secretariat premises, which were illegally demolished in July last year, would be laid.
Abdullah Sohail, in a media statement, said that neither chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao nor his ministers made any official announcement of a date for laying the foundation stone for reconstruction of demolished places of worship.
Updated Jan 12, 2021 | 15:08 IST
With COVID-19 still rampant, tens of thousands of birds succumbing to avian influenza have sent panic waves nationwide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo) | Photo Credit: ANI
Key Highlights
Imports of live birds have been temporarily halted in the national capital. In Maharashtra, 900 hens have succumbed to the flu at a poultry farm in Parbhani district which is located 500 kms from Mumbai.
States have been told to ensure availability of PPE kits and accessories to be used to cull birds and dispose of bird carcasses.
Centre has asked states to keep a tab on rumours that influence poultry product consumers. They are expected to increase awareness about their safety, especially after the products are boiled or cooked.