NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the current atmosphere in the national capital, which witnessed gruesome communal violence last week, the Delhi Assembly has constituted a new committee named ‘Committee on Peace and Harmony’ on Monday.
The nine-member committee headed by Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj held its first meeting, in which it decided to tackle fake messages and hate content.
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“In India, spreading hate between two communities is a serious criminal offence under the India Penal Code. The committee has decided that we will launch a campaign against fake messages and hate content. We will appraise the people that if anyone shares a fake news or hate content or rumours which can cause enmity between two communities then it is a criminal offence which can invite jail term of three years” he said.
According to the members, a team of lawyers and IT experts will be formed by the Delhi Assembly to help out the Committee on Peace and Harmony providing technical assistance in vetting the fake messages. After the due process, all complaints will be forwarded to Delhi Police for further action.
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As an incentive, the committee has proposed a reward for whistleblowers. “If you are in a WhatsApp group or chat group and someone sends a provocative message; then become a whistleblower by making a complaint about it. The committee will propose that such people should receive a reward of Rs 10,000 if the FIR gets registered on your complaint” Bhardwaj added.
In order to receive the complaint a special email id and a phone number will be launched by the committee soon. Recently, Delhi Police has arrested more than dozen people fro rumour mongering with regard to riots in South and West Delhi areas.