New Delhi, November 3: A viral WhatsApp message is doing rounds on social media platform quoting the Home Ministry saying that China is sending special firecrackers and decorative lights that would spread asthma and eye ailments in India. The fake news comes ahead of the festive season of Diwali when people will throng to markets to buy firecrackers. The news has been widely shared on social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter which has lead to panic and confusion among people.

Dismissing the claims, a fact check by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) stated that the claim is fake. It added saying that Home Ministry has not announced any such information. "This claim is fake. The Ministry of Home Affairs has not given any such information", the PIB Fact check stated. Fake news is speeding like wildfire ever since the outbreak of coronavirus in India.  No Chinese Products During Diwali 2020 Ad Posted by ITBP? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake News, Reveals Truth Behind Viral Post.

Here's the tweet:

When such fake news is reported, the government does a fact check to debunk the misleading news. The government has time and again advised people not to believe in such fake news and rumours that spread like wildfire on social media. Many such fake news have been spreading on social media ever since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. Several initiatives have been taken by the government to curb the spread of fake news by doing a fact check of the fake and misleading information on digital platforms.

Fact check

China Sending Special Firecrackers, Decorative Lights in India to Spread Asthma and Eye Ailments? PIB Reveals Truth Behind Fake WhatsApp Message Quoting Home Ministry
Claim :

Viral WhatsApp message quoting Home Ministry official claims that China is sending special firecrackers and decorative lights to spread asthma in India and cause eye ailments.

Conclusion :

Fact Check by PIB stated that the claim is fake as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not given any such information

Full of Trash
Clean

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2020 04:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).