In a move that has raised concerns about threat to democracy and freedom of speech & expression, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, has decided to create a Fact Checking Unit under the administrative control of Special Programme Implementation which is the portfolio of DMK scion and Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The development comes after the DMK government faces the wrath of the Opposition parties and people at large over the state of affairs in Tamil Nadu.
This FCU is going to be headed by Iyan Karthikeyan, a Dravidian Stockist YouTuber known for peddling DMK propaganda. As the “Mission Director” of the Fact-Checking Unit, Iyan will receive a monthly salary of ₹3 lakh.
Iyan Karthikeyan getting ₹3 lakh per month of tax payer’s money comes at a time when nurses and teachers are fighting for equal pay and the state is in severe debt.
Iyan Karthikeyan was previously the Editor-in-Chief of YouTurn, a self-proclaimed “fact-checking” website that also has a YouTube channel where Iyan Karthikeyan along with his team rant for the most part under the pretext of “fact-checking”.
It has been stated that the primary job of the FCU will be to identify fake news and curb hate speech but critics argue that it is nothing but a fascist move to crackdown on critics of the DMK and its government.
Concerns were raised from different quarters about the flouting of rules in establishing this unit and the appointment process.
In a development that substantiates the above apprehension, it has come to light that many DMK IT wing members have been recruited into the so-called “fact-checking unit”.
According to a report by South First, DMK IT wing functionaries and cadres who are active on social media were being recruited for the unit.
The South First report quoting a state-level functionary of the DMK told reported that all the appointments are probably complete and that the unit was almost ready to function.
According to RB Udhayakumar, the Deputy Leader of Opposition belonging to AIADMK, credible sources have suggested that recruitment for this unit exclusively involves individuals with an affiliation to the DMK and those who are part of the DMK IT wing.
Since the unit has been accorded suo motu powers, it is but natural that this so-called “fact-checking unit” will go after DMK critics on social media.
Jayaram Venkatesan, a social activist of corruption watchdog ‘Arappor Iyakkam,’ observes that the fact-checking unit seems to serve as a government propaganda tool and an extension of the DMK IT wing, primarily designed to counter news and information critical of the DMK government. He further expressed puzzlement over the decision to place this unit under the control of Udhayanidhi rather than the information minister or the DIPR.
You can read more about the problems associated with the FCU in this article – Why The DMK Govt’s Fact-Checking Unit Is Undemocratic And How It Has Possibly Flouted Rules
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