Post Pulwama, battle rages in cyber space

  • | Tuesday | 19th February, 2019

Cyber bullying and the horror of trolling have reached an alarming level in the city after people started pouring out their views on the death of CRPF men in Pulwama . Where is the right to freedom of speech?” wondered a 33-year-old software professional, who too was bullied for speaking against war. But the numbers are few and the posts area far less shared than the ones spreading hatred and war. You run the risk of being trolled, ridiculed, threatened and even getting assaulted. “Some people are planning to disrupt the law and order situation in the state.

A 24-year-old youth was beaten up on the Nandan premises and a video of the public bashing went viral after someone made a meme using his photograph and a screenshot of an old post where he had congratulated Pakistan on its 72nd Independence Day.A 25-year-old youth was abused and threatened by schoolmates in a WhatsApp group and forced to leave the group after someone dug out an old comment he had made about the authenticity of the 2016 surgical strike.A man in his 30s was chased out of his home in Jadavpur by a group of men and his elderly parents were made to apologise in public for a Facebook status in which the youth had questioned why such a large number of jawans had been travelling together and also wrote about alleged atrocities on Kashmiri residents by Army personnel. Cyber bullying and the horror of trolling have reached an alarming level in the city after people started pouring out their views on the death of CRPF men in Pulwama . While a majority has been hailing the sacrifice of the soldiers, those who differed in opinion are often being targeted on social media and, at times, even in person. Several rallies, many of them not sanctioned by police, are adding fuel to the mood of discontent.The situation has been so alarming that ADG (law and order) Anuj Sharma raised the issue at a public meeting on Monday and asked everyone to refrain from responding to rumours and instigations. “Some people are planning to disrupt the law and order situation in the state. They are bringing out impromptu rallies and are often crying slogans that may create trouble. No one should respond to such instigations and rumours. Such an attempt has also been seen on social media. We will take strict action against all such men,” said Sharma. Praveen Tripathi, the joint commissioner of police (crime), added: “We are keeping a watch on social media.”The hatred for Pakistan and terrorists has suddenly been channelized against a minority community by a section of people. “One of our long-time school friend, who happens to be from the minority community, was made to leave a WhatsApp group after another friend dug out an old comment made by him about the authenticity of the 2016 surgical strike. Soon other friends joined in to abuse him, calling him a threat to the nation, and an anti-national and even threatened to lodge a police complaint against him,” said a south Kolkata resident.Some men and women, however, are trying to bring some sense into the situation with posts like – “The fight is between India and Pakistan and not a communal war” and “You can love your country without having to love your government”. But the numbers are few and the posts area far less shared than the ones spreading hatred and war. “These days, it’s quite scary to express any opinion you might have. You run the risk of being trolled, ridiculed, threatened and even getting assaulted. Where is the right to freedom of speech?” wondered a 33-year-old software professional, who too was bullied for speaking against war.

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