Social media content that threatens violence in the backdrop of Bharatiya Janata Party legislator T. Raja Singh’s comments against Prophet Muhammad, and the ensuing protests have prompted police to take action and book over half a dozen cases. Police are also intensifying their efforts at identifying and slapping cases against such individuals.
As tension gripped parts of the City, in less than a week, videos that purportedly show individuals using foul language and threatening the BJP legislator with violence have been shared on WhatsApp, and also posted on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
On Friday, soon after prayers came to a peaceful end, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner C.V. Anand spoke to the media and warned that cases would be booked against those who were creating and posting on social media such content online.
On Saturday police confirmed that at least seven such cases have been booked.
Police said that the wings of the City police have been working closely to identify such individuals. They are also in the process of intensively trawling social media to look for content that has the potential to vitiate the communal amity of the City.
“We are very strict about this and cases have already been booked. We will serve notices and then take action. We are stepping up efforts,” a senior police officer said.
Cases were booked against a social media influencer Syed Abdahu Kashaf, who raised a slogan calling for violence against Mr. Singh. Another case was booked against Rashid Khan.
Observers said that there should be a zero-tolerance policy against all those who have been indulging in such acts, irrespective of the faith they belong to. Hate speech can lead to violence and must be nipped in the bud, they added.
