As Sri Lanka is grappling with a horrific economic crisis, the country’s Left radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has been spreading false information that the Indian Army has arrived in Colombo to assist the beleaguered Gotabaya Rajapaksa government in the island nation.
Fishing in the troubled waters, JVP spread a Whatsapp message, which was widely shared across Sri Lanka, claims about 6,000 Indian soldiers have already arrived in Sri Lanka to quell the protests of the people against the government over economic hardships.
The fake message had pictures of an Indo-Lanka joint military exercises ‘Mitrashakti’ conducted during last October, claiming it to be the latest.
An alarmed Sri Lankan Defence ministry has issued a clarification calling it a fake news.
Following this, Chairperson of the Information and Communication Technology Agency Oshada Senanayake has stepped down from his position.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Technology confirmed that it restricted access to social media in Sri Lanka on the request of the Defense Ministry.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay has also issued a statement explaining how India is helping the island nation economically.
India has responded to urgent requests from Sri Lanka with promptness. Since January this year, support from India to Sri Lanka exceeds US dollars 2.5 billion: India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay told ANI
In the 1980s, during the height of Tamil Eelam war the same JVP was busy whipping up anti India sentiments spreading fake news. It had put the lives of many Indians living in Sri Lanka at risk.
To prevent the spread of fake news Sri Lankan Government has banned all social media platforms except WhatsApp.
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