In a first in Jharkhand, Ranchi Sadar Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Bhor Singh Yadav today imposed Article-144 of CrPC to curb riot-hate mongers on social networking websites including Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and others to curb sudden unrest or riot-like situation in the city.
The order which has been brought into effect from 7AM on Saturday said that it was noticed that unauthenticated messages were being repeatedly circulated in various groups formed on WhatsApp on the name of news groups which could possibly trigger communal violence. “Matters are being generated or forwarded without getting into reality or fact-finding processes on social media which could create unrest in society, communal violence or loss of lives and live-stocks,” said the order.
“Posts containing derogatory remarks against any person, religion or religious sentiments of any community shouldn’t be put across on social media including Facebook, WhatsApp or twitter. Group Administrators on WhatsApp are directed not to allow any post from any member without verification and if any member does so, Administrators are asked to deny on that post and expel the member from group. Failing to do so will be understood Administrators agreeing to the posts which could result in framing them too under similar charges. No post, video, picture or audio should be post on social media which could hurt religious sentiments in any case,” said the order.
Reacting on recent order, Yadav said on Saturday that Ranchi had a long history of vulnerability to communal tension and incidents and administration needed to take action against those elements. “A number of possible hate-riot igniting social media messages reached to different parts of country were found originated from capital city. Moreover, sending unauthenticated messages on social media to ignite riots is a new trend which needs to be curbed at the earliest. Today’s order is not against freedom of speech or expression, which will be protected in all ways. But hate-riot mongering will not be allowed on the name of freedom of speech,” said Yadav.
Notably, Article-144 envisages such powers to a magistrate to impose ban on anything which could trigger sudden unrest or communal harmony in society. The Article says: In cases where, in the opinion of a District Magistrate, a Sub- divisional Magistrate or any other Executive Magistrate specially empowered by the State Government in this behalf, there is sufficient ground for proceeding under this section and immediate prevention or speedy remedy is desirable, such Magistrate may, by a written order stating the material facts of the case and served in the manner provided by section 134, direct any person to abstain from a certain act or to take certain order with respect to certain property in his possession or under his management, if such Magistrate considers that such direction is likely to prevent, or tends to prevent, obstruction, annoyance or injury to any person lawfully employed, or danger to human life, health or safety, or a disturbance of the public tranquility,or a riot,of an affray.