“Menace of fake news deeply disturbing”: Sirsa BJP candidate Dr Tanwar lodges complaints against actors spreading fake news

Sirsa, April 11, 2024: Coming down heavily on ‘motivated miscreants’ adamant on misusing the digital media to spread lies and misinformation, senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha candidate from Sirsa Dr Ashok Tanwar on Thursday informed that he has lodged a complaint with the Returning Officer and other authorities about a fake video against him. He said social media handles including those of Aam Aadmi Party and Congress party’s youth wing National Students Union of India (NSUI) have used an old video of some of other contexts and labelled it as “farmers protesting against me.”

Naming individuals and organisations including Voice of Youth, Karnal Wale, Dr Tanwar said his written complaint has all details and he is confident that authorities will take strict action to curb the menace of fake news on social media platforms and elsewhere.

In his complaint to the RO, Dr Tanwar, a former Member of Parliament with over three decades of active political life, he wrote: “The people responsible for defamatory actions have been repeat offenders, consistently engaging in unethical reporting practices, aimed at tarnishing my reputation and influencing public opinion through misinformation.”

Asserting his faith in fair and transparent elections where every candidate has the right to present his policies and vision without facing baseless attacks, Dr Tanwar said: “It is crucial that these influencers and channels adhere to ethical standards and the Code of Conduct decided/defined for them by the Election Commission of India.”

Seeking a thorough probe into Voice of Youth, other mischief mongers and channels engaged in a misinformation campaign, Dr Tanwar in his complaint to the RO dated April 10, 2024, further stated that “it is imperative that stringent measures are taken to deter such unethical behaviour and uphold the integrity of our electoral system.”

Ensuring that voters are empowered to make informed decisions based on facts rather than falsehoods, Dr Tanwar said: “Such proactive videos and social media contents provoke the people including the innocent farmers and malign their image as well.”

A copy of the complaint letter, where Dr Tanwar has also attached the screenshots of videos and fake posts, has also been sent to Chief Election Commissioner, ECI, ADGP, Cyber Crime, Haryana and Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for further action.