New Delhi: The government has identified 275 websites and blogs that participated in the online campaign of hatred against Indians from the North East. 125 websites have already been blocked. 150 more will be forced offline in the next few hours, say sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Morphed photos that were hosted and circulated online misrepresented victims of earthquakes as Muslims killed in ethnic riots in Myanmar and Assam. The online posts and text messages in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad warned of a reprisal. Thousands of people from states like Assam, Manipur and Mizoram boarded special trains to spend a few days at home; many said they will return to the cities where they live and work in the next few weeks.
India has said nearly 40 per cent of the doctored and incendiary online images originated in Pakistan and were uploaded across the border, describing the act as "reprehensible." Home Secretary RK Singh said over the weekend, "We have got a hold on the wrong messages, false images... Photos of people who had died in cyclones etc. were circulated as victims of violence in Myanmar and Bodoland... We want people to know that bulk of this was done from Pakistan."
After Pakistan asked India to provide evidence of its allegation, Mr Singh said details will be shared with Pakistan.
Refusing to give out details of which Pakistan-based organisation are suspected to have been involved, Mr Singh told reporters on Monday, "You don't know who is behind it, to say or deny whether a particular was or wasn't is difficult at this stage, but some photographs have names and photographs of one or two (Pakistani) organisations."
Google, Facebook and Twitter have all been asked by the Indian government to scan content carefully for inflammatory material and remove it.
Eight people have been arrested from across the country for spreading rumours.
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