The Bengaluru communal flare-up, which resulted in the death of three people, is an eye-opener on the pitfalls of social media. Following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, there’s been a spike in usage of internet owing to lockdown and restrictions across the country. People are hooked on to their mobiles and desktops, spending a majority of their time on social media websites and mobile apps. Some gather information related to work, some follow their favourite movie stars and sportspersons while others simply pass their time sifting through the nooks and corners of the web. The same internet is also used to spread rumours and misinformation that divides people on religion and caste-based lines and even cause communal riots that claim lives and destroy property.
The Bengaluru communal flare-up stands out as a glaring example of that. It all began when Pulkeshi Nagar Congress MLA A Srinivas Murthy’s nephew Naveen shared a communally sensitive post on his Facebook account. A mob gathered outside the residence of the legislator in northeast Bengaluru late Tuesday, and began pelting stones and set ablaze some vehicles. Even as police tried to restore law and order, hundreds more assembled and began marching to DJ Halli police station. Bengaluru City Police has confirmed that cops had used lathicharge, tear gas, and bullets to disperse the mob. At least three people have been reported to be dead and another 60 injured, some of them seriously.
MLA Srinivas Murthy shared a video on social media, appealing people to maintain peace and harmony.
#Bengaluru: Pulkeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy appeals for peace after an irate mob surrounded his house in Kaval Byrasandra irked by a derogatory post allegedly put up on social media by his relative. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/khmaFj1ews
— Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) August 11, 2020
Police have arrested Naveen for his ‘derogatory’ posting. Curfew has also been imposed in some sensitive areas in the city. Meanwhile, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao has also appealed to people to not “indulge in propaganda & stop spreading fake news” on social media.
