Spreading of fake news, rumours will be treated as sedition: Manipur government

IMPHAL: The Manipur government on Monday asked people and organisations to desist from spreading, publishing, and generating fake news, lies, rumours, or misinformation regarding the ongoing situation in the state; otherwise, stern action would be taken under the laws and it would be treated as sedition. Officials quoting government notification said that spreading wrong information would be booked under sedition charges.

"Government is making all efforts to restore peace and normalcy. The generation or spreading of wrong information would therefore amount to sedition," said the notification, issued by Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi. The notification said that no person is immune to prosecution under the laws of the country if he/she is found to be generating or spreading false news, lies, rumours, or any propaganda with bad intention, which can worsen the prevailing law and order situation in Manipur. The Chief Secretary, in his notification, stated: "A number of individuals in responsible positions with large followings on social media have been observed to be directly involved in generating and/or sharing information in connection with the ongoing law and order situation in Manipur.

"Many of such pieces of information have been found to be fake news, lies, rumours, or misinformation. The generation and spreading of such wrong information has the potential to worsen the current situation in the state by misguiding public opinion, instigating violence, and rebelling against the authority of the state with or without the use of arms, leading to death of human lives, casualties on bodies, and destruction and damage of properties." It is hereby proclaimed that no person will be immune to prosecution under the laws of the country if he/she is found to be generating or spreading fake news, lies, rumours, or misinformation, the notification said.

The state Government shall not hesitate to take action as per law, against those persons found to be generating, sharing, or publishing any wrong information that can worsen the current law and order situation in Manipur, it added. The notification said that every person, acting individually or on behalf of any group of persons, based in Manipur or outside, shall verify any information before sharing or publishing it on any social media platform or through any medium, by means of any tool whatsoever, whether physical, virtual, audio-visual, or electronic. (IANS)

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