Following India's precision missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Union Minister Amit Shah has asked border states to stay alert and prepared to respond to any emergency. The Home Minister has also asked authorities to watch out for anti-national propaganda on social media platforms and urged them to take tough action to crack down on misinformation, sources have said.
Mr Shah chaired a meeting with the Lieutenant Governors of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal, and a Sikkim government representative, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. This meeting was held over video conferencing.
During the meeting, the Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors appreciated the Narendra Modi government and the armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, under which 24 missile strikes were carried out against terror infrastructure in nine locations. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 25 tourists and a Kashmiri pony ride operator were shot dead in cold blood.
The Home Minister emphasised that the spirit of national unity that has emerged in the aftermath of the terror attack and Operation Sindoor has boosted citizens' morale.
Mr Shah asked the state governments and Union Territory administrations to ensure the uninterrupted operation of essential services such as healthcare and firefighting. He also asked them to ensure the seamless supply of essential commodities. The Home Minister said disaster response teams, civil defence personnel, Home Guards and National Cadet Corps should be on alert mode. The Home Minister also asked authorities to keep a strict vigil on anti-national propaganda on social media platforms. He also told them to take swift action in coordination with central agencies to curb the spread of misinformation.
The warning against misinformation comes after numerous social media handles linked to Pakistan spread falsehoods about Operation Sindoor, sharing old, doctored and unrelated videos. Independent fact-checkers have flagged many of these visuals as misinformation.
