The UP police’s social media unit is stepping up its cyber game and monitoring social media for phrases that could cause problems.
The Uttar Pradesh Police is closely monitoring all social media activity in anticipation of the January 22 dedication ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Enhancing its digital skills, the UP police’s social media unit is vigilantly monitoring social media for trending topics that could cause issues. A police officer informed Hindustan Times (HT) that “sleuths at the social media cell are keeping a vigil on keywords such as ‘Ram Temple’, ‘Ram Lalla’, ‘Babri Masjid’, ‘Ayodhya’, ‘threat’, ‘terror’ and ‘blast’.”
Director General (DG) (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that the police were monitoring social media and electronic channels around the clock, looking for unpleasant and objectionable posts that would jeopardize law and order.
In relation to the same, he said, the state police were also in contact with central agencies.
Zibran Makrani, a 24-year-old Jhansi resident, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Wednesday for leaving offensive and divisive comments about the Ayodhya Ram temple. He shared inflammatory screenshots and posts with others, which the ATS later discovered, “to provoke them to take revenge for the demolition of the Babri Masjid.”
The same day, Tahar Singh and Om Prakash Mishra from Vibhuti Khand in Lucknow were taken into custody by the UP Special Task Force (STF) on charges that they had threatened to blow up the Ram temple and kill UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Gonda-born defendants were also suspected of threatening BJP lawmaker Devendra Tiwari with similar threats.
A similar cyber-patrol campaign was stepped up in November 2019 following the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title controversy. It was discovered that up to 680 social media posts were offensive. They comprised 40 posts on other social networking sites, 125 Facebook posts, and 515 tweets. In several instances, arrests were made; however, in other circumstances, users withdrew the content following a warning.
Amidst all this, the much-awaited ‘Pran-Pratishtha’ (consecration) of Ram Lalla will be televised not only in all states of the nation but also at several Indian embassies across the globe.
In addition to being televised live at booth level throughout India, the consecration ceremony of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22 would also be streamed live in the famous Times Square in New York City, according to a story published by India Today on Sunday, which cited sources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to all Rambhakts in India and outside on this momentous day.
Additionally, there will be a 1008 Hundi Mahayagya, where thousands of devotees will receive food. To accommodate the thousands of pilgrims that are anticipated to arrive in the Uttar Pradesh temple town for the ceremonial consecration, many tent cities are being built in Ayodhya.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust said that between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals will be catered for.
In order to ensure a seamless and spiritually enlightening experience for all guests, local officials are also preparing for the expected rise in visitors surrounding the major event. They are now putting enhanced security measures into place and making logistical arrangements.
