‘Social media played vital role’: Haryana government to scan online posts linked with Nuh violence. Top updates

The Haryana home minister urged citizens to avoid posting or forwarding social media posts blindly as the govt is keeping a supervision over online activities.

The Haryana government has formed a three-member committee to scan all social media platforms checking for posts from July 21 to 31, and further, that could have incited people leading up to the communal violence in the state's Nuh district, state's home minster Anil Vij on Wednesday told the reporters.

Broken glass and debris strewn on a street as policemen patrol after communal clashes in Nuh, on Tuesday. (AP)

The state minister alleged that social media has played a vital role in the violence, and added that legal action will be taken against those who have posted anything provocative. “I urge people to not post anything (on social media). Do not forward (posts) blindly. You must realise that we are supervising every activity. We have to ensure peace and stability in our state first,” Vij said.

On July 31, violent clashes broke out in Nuh, in an attempt to stop a procession by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which then spread to Gurugram and other parts over the past two days, leaving six dead, including two home guard officials and a cleric.

Top updates on Nuh violence:

1. The Vishva Hindu Parishad, along with Bajrang Dal, carried out protests in different parts of the country against the violence in Nuh. "The VHP and the Bajrang Dal had called for demonstrations in every district of the country today against the violent attacks... on peaceful pilgrims in Haryana's Nuh... These demonstrations were held successfully with the participation of lakhs of people at hundreds of places across the country," the right-wing group said in a statement.
2. In view of preventing any disturbance to peace and public order, the Haryana government decided to keep the mobile internet and SMS services in parts of the state, including Nuh, suspended till August 5.
3. The Haryana government also decided to immediately move the battalion headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) from police complex in Bhondsi to Nuh to meet ‘imminent operational exigencies’.
4. Haryana's deputy chief minister Dushyant Singh Chautala said in a press conference reiterated chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar's address where he said over 40 FIRs linked with the Nuh violence case have been registered so far, as well as 100 people have been taken into police custody and over 90 have been detained.
5. According to senior police official, 41 FIRs have been lodged so far and 116 people have been arrested on the basis of investigation.
6. Dy CM Chautala earlier said organisers of the VHP yatra, taken out on July 31 in Nuh, did not provide complete information to the district administration. "The yatra organisers did not give complete information about the procession to the district administration, which resulted in the violence. Strict action will follow against those responsible for the incident," he said.
7. During a press conference, CM Manohar Lal Khattar said the Rajastan Police is free to act against Bajarang Dal member and cow vigilante Monu Manesar, who is allegedly involved in triggering the Nuh violence, as the last case against him was lodged by Rajasthan Police.
8. CM Khattar sought four additional companies of central forces following communal clashes in the state. He said 14 out of 20 central force companies are deployed in Nuh, three in Palwal and two in Gurugram and one in Faridabad.
9. Fearing spillover effects of the communal violence, mobile internet services in four tehsils of Rajasthan's Bharatpur district will remain suspended for one more day. The district shares border with Haryana's Nuh.