Delhi Assembly panel to launch number, email ID for hate message complaints

AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj said after scrutiny of complaints, the committee will send them to the police for criminal prosecutions.

The Delhi Assembly's 'Peace and Harmony committee' on Tuesday will launch a mobile number and an email ID for people to complain against hate messages and fake news on social media in the wake of recent violence in parts of northeast Delhi.

AAP MLA and chairman of the committee Saurabh Bharadwaj said after scrutiny of complaints, the committee will send them to the police for criminal prosecutions.

The committee held its first meeting hours after its formation on Monday.

"If you are in a chat group in which someone has sent a provocative message then you can become a whistleblower by complaining about it. The committee will propose that such people receive a reward of Rs 10,000 if an FIR gets registered on their complaint," Bharadwaj said.

Bharadwaj said the panel has also proposed that the people who have helped others and saved several lives during the riots in northeast Delhi be rewarded too.

According to the panel, a hate message forwarded on WhatsApp or fake news on social media can lead to three years of imprisonment.

The committee will hold another meeting on Tuesday to take forward the discussion.

It will launch a mobile number and an email ID on Tuesday for people to send such complaints.

"The committee will cross-check the complaints using its team of legal experts and if we find that the content can potentially cause hatred, disturbance or enmity between two communities or groups then we will recommend criminal prosecutions to the law enforcement agencies for necessary action," the Greater Kailash MLA said.

Authorities maintained that the death toll remained at 42 in the communal clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Act that erupted a week ago even as four bodies were fished out of drains in northeast Delhi on Sunday.