Shiromani Gurdwara Sends Legal Notice to 'X' Over Account 'Spreading Hate Propaganda Against Sikhs'

NEW DELHI: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex gurdwara body, on Thursday announced a legal action against social media platform ‘X’ for failing to shut down a fake account allegedly using the SGPC name to spread hate propaganda against the Sikhs, news agency PTI reported, mentioning that SGPC legal advisor Amanbir Singh Siali issued the notice in response to the concerning situation.

According to an SGPC's statement, the legal notice highlights that the dissemination of hate propaganda against any religion or religious organization through social media platforms, particularly under the guise of parody accounts, violates the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act of 2001, and Information Technology Rules of 2021.

The SGPC reportedly expressed deep concern over the activities on the fake account, noting that “the hate campaign not only hurts the religious sentiments of Sikhs, but also poses a threat to the mutual brotherhood within society”.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh told PTI that despite bringing the matter to the attention of the social media platform in question, written communication received indicated a refusal to take down the fake account. The SGPC has contended that the fake or parody account “is actively involved in spreading hate propaganda against the gurdwara body and the Sikh community”, emphasizing that such activities cannot be tolerated.

The SGPC has consistently communicated with both the Union and state governments, urging them to take decisive action against social media platforms that allow the proliferation of hate campaigns, Singh further stated.

“Despite these efforts, the SGPC claims that the hate campaign continues unabated, necessitating the legal recourse taken against the platform in question”, PTI quoted Singh as saying.

The development comes as several religious and cultural organizations in the country are working towards combating hate speech and misinformation on various social media platforms. 

The SGPC's legal action seeks to address these concerns and hold the social media platform accountable for its role in facilitating the spread of hate propaganda against the Sikh community, the statement issued by the committee read.