Bharat Bandh on September 6 Against SC/ST Act? Fake News of Nationwide Strike Against Dalit Reservation Goes Viral on WhatsApp

New Delhi, Sep 2: Many fake posts coupled with pictures, appearing to be stills taken from Aaj Tak and Zee News channels, are going viral on WhatsApp about a Bharat Bandh protest on September 6. The fake WhatsApp posts claim that people belonging to General and OBC categories will hold Bharat Bandh (nationwide strike) on September 6 against Dalit reservation and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"To protest against reservation, people belonging to General and OBC categories will hold Bharat Bandh on September 6," says a picture that appears to be a still taken from a show aired on Aaj Tak. "Anna Hazare opposes quota for Dalits, will participate in Bharat Bandh protest on September 6," a viral image that looks like a still taken from a show on Zee News claims. Such fake pictures are widely shared on WhatsApp, Facebook and other social platforms.

The fact is there is no Bharat Bandh called by any organisation on September 6. It has been an old trick of those who spread the fake news that they make graphics cards that look like stills taken from some news channel. Many people fall into the trap and believe it as authentic. But, there is no Bharat Bandh against Dalit reservation and SC/ST Act on September 6.

However, the police in Madhya Pradesh have taken note of the fake news of Bharat Bandh and issued an alert. Some districts of Madhya Pradesh witnessed violent protests on April 2 against Supreme Court’s order on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 diluting some of its provisions. However, the government later bought the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill which overturned the Supreme Court order.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2018 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).