Dharmasthala case: Home Minister warns of action against those posting provocative and defamatory content on social media

Taking note of the alleged provocative and defamatory posts on social media on the ongoing investigation in Dharmasthala, Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday warned of stringent action if the trend continues.

“If you do not regulate yourself, the government will have to regulate you,” the Home Minister warned those using social media to post their views on the Dharmasthala row.

Replying to a debate in the Legislative Assembly on the “alleged efforts to defame Dharmasthala pilgrimage centre by an anonymous person on the charges of mass burials”, the Home Minister told social media users: “Please stop it. If you continue, the government will have to take action against you.”

His warning came in response to a demand by the Opposition to act against those posting content on social media, particularly those putting out “objectionable” content on YouTube.

He noted that already the government had decided to bring in a legislation to act against those spreading fake news. “Our intention was to bring it in the ongoing legislature session. But now we may bring it in the next session,” he said.

Earlier, the Opposition members, including Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, expressed concern over “objectionable” content on social media at a time when the Special Investigation Team was probing the allegations.

BJP member S. Suresh Kumar called it a “social media trial.” Another BJP member V. Sunil Kumar accused social media users of being “part of the conspiracy” to mislead the probe and defame the pilgrimage centre.