Chintan Shivir: PM Modi on war against fake news, sounds alert on 'gun-toting, pen-wielding' Naxalism

Emphasising the need to create awareness against fake news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that social media cannot be underestimated and that a small piece of fake news generated by it can create chaos. 

The Prime Minister appealed for people to check facts before sharing messages on social media. Addressing a 'Chintan Shivir' in Haryana of home ministers of states via video conferencing, PM Modi said, "For the safety and rights of law-abiding citizens, stringent action against negative forces is our responsibility. A small piece of fake news can kick up a storm across the nation...We will have to educate people to think before forwarding anything, verify before believing it..."

He said people must be made aware of the various mechanisms that are now available on all social media platforms to verify messages before forwarding them. 

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"Fact check of fake news is a must. Technology plays a big role in this. People must be made aware of mechanisms to verify messages before forwarding them," the prime minister said. 

Prime Minister said that one should not limit social media to being the source of information. He said that a piece of single fake news can snowball into a matter of national concern. The Prime Minister said during the reservation issue, the country had to face losses due to fake news. He said people should think 10 times before forwarding any messages on social media.

Emphasizing further the internal security of the country, Prime Minister Modi said India needs to defeat the threats that are arising from Naxalism be it "gun-toting or pen-wielding". 

"In past few years, all governments have acted responsibly to demolish ground network of terror...We need to handle it by combining our forces. We will have to defeat all forms of Naxalism - be it gun-totting or pen-wielding, we will have to find a solution for all of them," PM said. 

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The two-day Chintan Shivir is being held at Surajkund, Haryana. Home Secretaries and Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of the States and Director Generals of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Central Police Organisations (CPOs) attended the Chintan Shivir.

According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO) statement, the Chintan Shivir of Home Ministers is an endeavour to provide a national perspective to policy formulation on internal security-related matters. 

The Shivir, in the spirit of cooperative federalism, will bring more synergy in planning and coordination between various stakeholders at the centre and state levels.

The Shivir will deliberate on issues like modernization of police forces, cybercrime management, increased use of IT in the criminal justice system, land border management, coastal security, women's safety, and drug trafficking, among others, added the statement.