Rajamahendravaram: Fake posts, bogus survey reports go viral as elections get closer

Rajamahendravaram : In the wake of general elections, fake news reports and bogus survey reports have become rampant in AP. Every day survey reports in the names of two or three organisations or media institutions appear on mobiles and confuse everyone.

Ignoring the actual situation and without proper analysis, the news only suggests that a certain party will win and a certain party will lose.

False propaganda was spread by some in the name of a pro-TDP media house that the Intelligence Bureau survey revealed that the YSRCP would get 118-124 seats in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. According to this report, it has been stated that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) collected data from 3,56,541 people during the survey in connection with the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections within a period of one month (between March 2 and April 4).

But there was no proof to show that the IB had conducted such a survey. Moreover, if you ask why the survey was done in just one State leaving the whole country, there is no answer.

If they questioned really 3.56 lakh people in a month, they have to talk to at least 10,000 people each day. For this, several staff members have to be deployed.

News agencies have confirmed that similar reports shared in the name of the Intelligence Bureau during the previous Telangana elections were fake. Meanwhile, the media house concerned also clarified that they did not broadcast the news related to the Intelligence Bureau survey. The Intelligence Bureau has no record of conducting election surveys, not just now, but even in the past.

While the issue of survey reports is like this, on the other hand, fake news is also being spread continuously.

A fake post appeared on the social media that BJP State president and party’s Rajahmundry Lok Sabha candidate Daggubati Purandeswari had said that the NDA would remove four per cent reservation for Muslims once it is elected to power in Andhra Pradesh in the ensuing elections. Subsequently, Purandeswari condemned the fake post and clarified that she had not spoken anything on quota for Muslims. This post also appeared on the social media in the name of a pro-TDP media channel. Everybody got to know about this ‘fake news’ before it came to the notice of the BJP.

Congress MP candidate Gidugu Rudra Raju also held a media conference in Rajahmundry on the same subject. He alleged that the NDA's agenda was to abolish reservations one by one. TDP and Jana Sena parties were asked to clarify their stand on the cancellation of Muslim reservations.

The news channel concerned also clarified that they did not air any news on the Muslim reservation issue. People say that when there is nothing good to say about themselves, some have made it their business to indulge in mud-slinging against the rivals. As a part of that, such fake news stories and false surveys are surfacing.

These are also being generated to create mutual distrust between the leaders and supporters of the parties which have decided to go for the forthcoming polls in an alliance. The fake news is being spread mainly on social media and YouTube channels. Political parties demand stern action against those spreading such false propaganda.

Intellectuals suggest that people should check the facts instead of blindly believing everything.