Jammu, Feb 13, 2026: Describing fake news and social media misinformation as a growing threat, Dr. Pardeep Mahotra said digital misinformation is increasingly being used to malign individuals, distort facts and destabilize society.
Dr Mahotra, Media Incharge of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir, expressed serious concern over the rapid spread of misleading content and stressed the need for urgent corrective measures. He called for stricter enforcement of cyber laws, robust fact-checking systems, accountability of social media platforms and large-scale digital literacy campaigns to help citizens identify and reject false information.
He said misinformation spreads at an unprecedented pace in the digital era, often reaching lakhs of people within minutes, while the damage to reputations and public order persists even after such content is removed or corrected.
The BJP leader warned that fake news, morphed images and doctored videos are deliberately circulated to defame political leaders, undermine institutions and mislead the public. By the time such material is taken down, he said, public narratives are shaped, emotions are inflamed and significant harm is already done, weakening trust in democratic institutions.
Dr Mahotra observed that misinformation has the potential to provoke unrest and create serious law and order challenges. He said false narratives are often designed to deepen divisions between communities and regions, thereby harming the social fabric and fostering mistrust and polarization.
He further cautioned that hostile elements operating from outside the country exploit digital platforms to spread sensitive and misleading information aimed at damaging national interests. Such forces, he said, attempt to manipulate public discourse, interfere in democratic processes and undermine national unity.
Referring to recent developments, Dr Mahotra said BJP members raised the issue of fake news and doctored videos in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, where concerns were supported by members across party lines, reflecting a shared commitment to counter the threat.
He emphasized that protecting truth and preserving social harmony require coordinated efforts by institutions, media organizations and citizens, alongside stronger cyber regulation and improved digital awareness.
