Taking cognisance of the fake news alleging that a Tanishq showroom in Gandhidham, Kutch, was attacked following the controversial ‘love jihad’ ad, the Home Minister of Gujarat, Pradipsinh Jadeja has asked authorities to register a case and initiate strict action against the fake news purveyors.
Jadeja took to Twitter to assert that the fake news about an attack on a showroom in Gandhidham was a motivated attempt to disrupt the law and order and instigate violence in Gujarat.
“The news of an attack on a showroom in Gandhidham, Kutch by @ndtv is TOTALLY FAKE. This is a motivated attempt to adversely impact the law & order & incite violence in Gujarat. I have asked to register a case & take strict action against those who spread this fake news,” Jadeja tweeted.
The news of an attack on a showroom in Gandhidham, Kutch by @ndtv is TOTALLY FAKE. This is a motivated attempt to adversely impact the law & order & incite violence in Gujarat. I have asked to register a case & take strict action against those who spread this fake news.
— Pradipsinh Jadeja (@PradipsinhGuj) October 14, 2020
NDTV caught peddling lies about an attack on Tanishq showroom in Gandhidham
Amidst the controversy surrounding the contentious advertisement by Tanishq Jewellery which was accused by many as an attempt to subtly promote ‘love jihad’, NDTV today published a ‘breaking news’ that the Gandhidham showroom was ‘attacked’.
In the article published a few minutes after this ‘breaking news’, cited no one and had no details about the ‘attack’. A few minutes later, NDTV put up a video wherein one of NDTV’s employees claimed that a ‘mob attack’ took place on 12th evening, the day social media users were angered with the advertisement. NDTV claimed the manager was forced to write a written apology for the advertisement.
However, soon after NDTV’s tweet about an attack on showroom went viral, a social media user Dr Neel posted an audio clip of his conversation with the showroom manager who rubbished the claims of mob attack as alleged by NDTV. While talking to Dr Neel, the manager categorically denies being attacked by anyone. The person handling the showroom himself was unaware of the alleged ‘mob attack’ on the showroom. He later denied how there was no attack and thanked Dr Neel.
Shortly after NDTV ran the news of the showroom being attacked by a mob, several mainstream media organisations picked up the report by NDTV without verifying whether the attack had indeed happened or not.
Later, the Kutch Police clarified that there was no attack on the showroom and the fake news of the showroom being attacked and ransacked by an angry mob was circulated for propaganda purposes.