New Delhi: The government at the center on Tuesday directed states to appoint nodal officers with the status of the post as Superintendent of Police in each district to monitor social media content and conduct publicity and awareness campaigns to keep in check incidences of mob violence and lynching.

The advisory from the Union Home Ministry directs states to constitute a special task force to fetch intelligence reports about such people who are very likely to commit such crimes or may get involved in spreading hate speeches, fake news, and provocative statements.

It also requires the states to identify places where incidents of mob violence and lynching have occurred in the past five years. The time stipulated for this target is within three weeks.

The advisory has been delivered to the states and Union territories to oblige a Supreme Court directive issued in this regard on July 17.

Among all directories, an advisory also seeks nodal officers to hold regular meeting with intelligence units locally in the districts to identify the existence of the tendencies of vigilantism, mob violence or lynching and take crucial steps to prohibit it besides making it sure that efforts are made to eradicate a hostile environment against any community or caste.

This becomes a second advisory issued within a month.

The government on Monday has set up a high-level committee chaired by Union Home Secretary to formulate appropriate measures to address the situation.

As another step, the government has also decided to constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to consider the recommendations of the high-level committee. The GoM will also submit their recommendations to the Prime Minister.

The advisory also directs to hold wide publicity and awareness campaigns over the radio and television and other media platforms.

Every law enforcement and intelligence agencies need to monitor the social media activities and take action under the Information Technology Act and other relevant laws, it says.

Police also needs to cooperate by registering FIR against persons who disseminate irresponsible and explosive messages and videos with content inciting mob violence and lynching of any kind, as per the directives of the advisory.

It further directs the state government to prepare compensation schemes for victims of lynching and mob violence.

There has been a spurt in incidents of mob lynching following fake rumors and false news being spread on WhatsApp. The biggest problem in India is that there is no proper digital literacy.

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