PM Modi’s message on fake news, and ‘gun-totting, pen-wielding’ Naxalism

Huge chaos can be triggered across the country with a small piece of fake news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he addressed a “Chintan Shivir” of state home ministers. “We have to keep educating people.

Any information they come across, they should think 100 times before forwarding it. There are always ways to verify things. If you keep browsing, you would know,” the prime minister said during a virtual address.

“Technology plays a big role in this. We have to raise a technological barrier to stop the flow of fake news,” PM Modi underlined, as he also spoke about “smart technology for a smarter law and order system”.

In Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence, PM Modi also stressed upon the “anti-national forces”. “Bandook wala bhi hai aur kalam wala bhi hai.. Naxalwaad (There is Naxalism linked to gun, and that linked to the the pen).” He was addressing the “Chintan Shivir” (brain-storming session) of state home ministers. where he said that governments have been working in this area for long.

“We have to find a solution to this. We have to defeat Naxalism in all forms. They are trying to mislead the youth.. Just the way we have focused on the Naxal-hit areas, they are also trying to expand their intellectual influence. This can lead to increasing differences between communities and can hamper thought processes. It can lead to huge damage in coming years,” PM Modi stressed.

In a suggestion to the states, PM Modi also mooted the idea of “One Nation, One Uniform” for police personnel across the states during the briefing.