GUWAHATI, Aug 19 � Involvement of Pakistani elements in spreading of hate messages, which created fear psychosis in the minds of the people of the North East region living in other parts of the country leading to mass exodus. The Government of India has taken serious note of the issue and legal implications are being examined.
Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that for some time, Pakistani elements were floating inflammatory messages and photos through the social networking sites and blogs to create disturbance in India and such efforts picked up momentum from July 13.
Sources said that the Government agencies thoroughly checked the origin of such messages and found that most of those originated in Pakistan. �We still do not know which organization in Pakistan is involved in spreading such hate messages. But it is now confirmed that the hate messages originated in Pakistan and those resulted in creating panic among the people of the North East region,� sources added.
On the stand of the Government on the issue, sources said that the process of preparation of the legal documents has started and the owners of the social networking sites have already been contacted. Sources revealed that the Government would soon approach the owners of the social networking sites with proper legal papers seeking the IP addresses of the origins of the hate messages and photos. If the IP addresses can be traced properly, the exact location from where the hate messages originated can be traced and India will be in a position to confront Pakistan with it, sources pointed out.
MHA sources said that the hate messages in social networking sites started spreading hate messages with inflammatory comments and morphed photographs to create disturbance in India and the it picked up momentum from July 13. Sources revealed that even photographs of earthquake victims were shown as bodies of Muslims killed in Assam and in one case, the photo of the Tibetan youth who tried to self immolate in New Delhi during the last visit of Chinese Premier to India was shown as a picture of a Muslim person set on fire. In one picture, the photo of the Dalai Lama was misused. Along with such morphed photographs, Pakistani elements also tried to spread very inflammatory messages and called upon the Muslims to take strong revenge against the killing of persons of that community in Assam.
Sources said that inspired by the messages and pictures, some anti social elements tried to start an SMS campaign in some parts of the country, which created panic among the people of the North East, leading to exodus of thousands of people of the region from different parts of the country including Karnataka, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc.
MHA sources said that recently, police raided a few places in Bengaluru in connection with spreading of SMS and found that the messages and pictures used originated from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, MHA sources said that the Centre is constantly in touch with the Governments of the States where trouble can break out. Sources revealed that in addition to increase of patrolling, the State Governments have been asked to place security pickets in areas considered vulnerable.
