VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government will introduce a special law in the upcoming Assembly session to address individuals who spread false propaganda on social media, aiming to mislead the public and create a sense of insecurity. This was announced by Minister for Home and Disaster Management Vangalapudi Anitha at a media conference held at the State Secretariat on Tuesday.
The minister stated the government’s commitment to countering misinformation and protecting the State’s reputation. She criticised the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for what she called ‘malicious campaigns’ born out of their inability to accept the successful implementation of the coalition government’s “Super Six” schemes.
Anitha accused YSRCP supporters of distorting facts, portraying falsehoods as truths, and tarnishing AP’s image with baseless social media allegations. She emphasised that such actions would no longer be tolerated and that strict measures would be taken against those responsible.
To ensure transparency, the government plans to establish a dedicated fact-finding committee to regularly inform the public about the truth behind misleading claims. The minister cited false narratives, such as claims that Amaravati was submerged or that the Prakasam Barrage gates were non-functional, as examples of deliberate attempts to undermine the government. She assured that the State would effectively counter such misinformation and take legal action against the perpetrators.
Anitha noted the success of the coalition government’s welfare and development initiatives, including ‘Talliki Vandanam’, ‘Annadata Sukheebhava’, free electricity up to 200 units for weavers and Nayi Brahmins, and the ‘Stree Shakti’ free bus travel scheme for women. She reported that over 20 lakh women have availed of the free bus travel within four days, saving approximately Rs 20 crore. She accused the YSRCP of spreading false narratives out of frustration over these successes.
Addressing a specific case, she revealed that the parole of man named Srikanth, who is serving a life sentence, had been revoked, and he was returned to prison. A thorough investigation is underway to determine the circumstances and persons involved in his parole approval. She assured that legal action would be taken against any police or jail officials found complicit, as well as against a woman named Aruna, who claimed to be the self-declared secretary of the Disha Foundation and contacted the Home Department.
Anitha reiterated that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is committed to curbing anti-social elements ‘with an iron hand’ and emphasised that there would be no compromise on law and order. She warned that those posting false and defamatory content, including baseless allegations against the government, would face stringent action.