Following the recent terrorist attack in Delhi, which claimed at least ten lives on Monday, the Assam government has directed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to closely monitor social media activity. This directive comes in response to instances of individuals welcoming the attack or reacting with "happy" emojis, implying support for terrorist activities.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the situation on Tuesday, emphasizing the government's firm stance against such expressions. "Since last night, some people have been either welcoming the Delhi attack on social media or reacting to the attack with happy emojis on social media. This implies that they are supporting the terrorist activities," Sarma stated. He further added, "I have already instructed the DGP to monitor and verify the backgrounds of these people. If needed they will be arrested".
The Chief Minister also condemned the terrorist attack in Delhi, highlighting the recovery of substantial explosives as an indicator of a larger conspiracy to disrupt peace. He stressed the importance of national unity in preventing the resurgence of terrorism in the country and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the central agencies' investigation.
In a related development, a retired school principal in Assam's Cachar district was detained for allegedly posting an objectionable comment on social media regarding the Delhi blast. The individual, identified as Nazrul Islam Barbhuiyan, who previously served as principal of Banskandi NMHS School in Cachar, reportedly commented on a social media post about the Delhi blast, stating that "elections are coming ahead". Police officials deemed the remark as an attempt to "politicize" an incident linked to national security.
Cachar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Partha Protim Das stated that the police took immediate action and summoned Barbhuiyan for questioning. "Given the nature of the incident in Delhi, such remarks can spread misinformation or provoke unnecessary speculation. We are taking this matter seriously," Das said. He added that Barbhuiyan was brought in to verify the intent and possible impact of his post.
The SSP also urged citizens to refrain from sharing unverified or politically motivated content that could interfere with the ongoing investigation. Assam Police officials have affirmed their commitment to maintaining strict vigilance on social media for reactions and posts related to the blast.
Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, holding him responsible for the Delhi blast. The TMC criticized the security lapses that allowed the incident to occur, questioning the effectiveness of the Delhi Police, which operates under the Union Home Ministry. The party also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bhutan following the blast. The TMC has called for an impartial and time-bound investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under court supervision to ensure accountability.
