Mamata writes to Shah, seeks action against provocative social media content, cybercrime

Kolkata: Expressing concern over the rising impact of provocative social media content and cybercrime, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and stressed the need for stringent legislative and policy interventions.

The two-page letter refers to recent “incendiary narratives, misleading stories and fake videos” on social media, which have “significantly contributed to aggravation of criminal tendencies among certain sections of society”.

“Such content not only spreads misinformation but also has the potential to inflame communal sentiments, incite violence, disrupt societal harmony and indulge in crime against women,” Banerjee wrote and added, “The instantaneous and wide-reaching nature of misuse of digital platforms amplifies these effects manifold.”

In April this year, the Muslim-majority district of Murshidabad witnessed large-scale violence, which began as a protest against the passed Waqf (Amendment) Act and quickly spiralled out of control into communal riots, resulting in multiple deaths and widespread damage to public and private property.

More recently, in June, violence of communal nature broke out at Maheshtala under the Diamond Harbour police district in the outskirts of Kolkata. The clashes left about a dozen police personnel, including the deputy commissioner of the Port area, injured.

The state has also witnessed communal violence in districts like Howrah and Hooghly in the recent past over Ram Navami celebrations.

In the aftermath of almost all these incidents, Banerjee has remained vocal about the spread of lies and misinformation on social media which, she maintained, added fuel to the fire.

In her letter to the Union home minister, Banerjee also highlighted the menace of an alarming surge in cybercrime which, she said, is “growing both in complexity and in its detrimental impact”.

“From financial frauds and identity theft to online harassment and defamation, cybercrimes are exacting a severe toll on individuals and institutions alike,” the chief minister wrote.

Observing that both provocative social media posts and cybercrimes disproportionately affect vulnerable sections of society – women, children, the elderly and the economically weak – Banerjee urged the introduction of stringent legislative measures to serve as an effective deterrent to the two crime formats.

“The current legal framework and its enforcement require further strengthening to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem and the sophisticated methods employed by malicious actors,” she said.

The chief minister also urged the home minister on the necessity to launch large-scale awareness campaigns to promote responsible digital behaviour alongside sensitisation programmes, digital literacy campaigns and community engagement initiatives.

“This is a collective challenge requiring urgent and coordinated action to safeguard public order, national unity, and the integrity of our democracy,” the Trinamool Congress posted on X, quoting Banerjee’s letter.