BJP-led government in Tripura has registered cases against 102 persons including journalists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for publishing or posting "distorted and objectionable" news items/statements regarding the communal tension on October 26 and also sought details of social media accounts for action.
The state police have written to the US-based Twitter office seeking details of accounts of at least 68 persons who had written or shared such posts stating that this has the potential to flare up communal tension in the state.
"In publishing these news items/posts, the persons/organisations have been found using photographs/videos of some other incidents, fabricated statements/commentary for promoting enmity between religious groups/communities in presence of a criminal conspiracy. The posts have the potential to flare up communal tension in Tripura state between people of different religious communities, which may result into communal riots," said the notice e-mailed to the Twitter office in California in the US on November 3.
The notice was served under Section 19 of Crpc, it said.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi flays use of UAPA in Tripura
The notice said cases has been registered at West Agartala police station against the accused under sections of IPC and Section 13 of UAPA. The UAPA section is imposed for abetting or inciting a community for unlawful activity and may invite imprisonment up to seven years and a fine.
Interestingly, police have arrested only three persons so far, who were allegedly directly involved in the communal tension on October 26 at Chamtilla in the North Tripura district. A mosque was partially damaged and two shops belonging to the minority community were burnt down during a protest march organised by Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The protest was against the attacks on Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh during the Durga Puja and thereafter.
Editors' Guild of India miffed:
Expressing shock for booking 102 persons under the UAPA, Editors Guild of India termed it a disturbing trend. "This is an extremely disturbing trend where such a harsh law, where in the processes of investigation and bail applications are extremely rigorous and overbearing, is being used for merely reporting on and protesting against communal violence," the Guild said in a statement on Sunday.
The Guild said this was an attempt by the state government to deflect attention away from its own failure to control majoritarian violence, as well as to take action against the perpetrators. "Government can not use stringent laws like UAPA to suppress reporting on such incidents," it said.
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