HYDERABAD: As soon as the Election Commission withdrew its consent for the release of Rythu Bandhu assistance to farmers in Telangana, a letter purported to have been written by TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy to the ECI on the issue surfaced on social media.
Revanth’s rivals, understandably, wasted no time in alleging that the ECI withdrew its decision to allow the BRS government to disburse the Rythu Bandhu aid based on the TPCC chief’s letter. A TV channel also telecast a news story attributing the ECI’s decision to Revanth’s letter. The TPCC chief, however, denied writing any letter to the ECI on the subject. The Congress leaders, meanwhile, lodged a complaint with the Cybercrime police against those who created and circulated the fake letter on social media.
Fake news, in the form of letters, being spread on social media platforms is not only creating confusion in political circles but also causing a big headache for the leaders who are the target of such malicious campaigns, with Revanth becoming the latest victim of such false propaganda on social media.
A few days ago, a letter purportedly written by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to Foxconn to relocate to Bengaluru created a sensation in Telangana. The Bengaluru police registered a case against those who circulated the letter based on a complaint filed by the Congress.
After Shivakumar’s fake letter began doing the rounds, a war of words ensued between the BRS and Congress. There was also a letter purportedly issued by TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu when he was in the central jail in Rajamahendravaram, which created a furor in Telangana.
In the letter, Naidu had “appealed” to the Kamma community to support the Congress and said that several Kamma leaders were joining the grand old party. The TDP soon issued a statement that the letter being circulated was a fake one and alleged that it was the YSRCP that was resorting to such mischief.