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Why The DMK Govt’s Fact-Checking Unit Is Undemocratic And How It Has Possibly Flouted Rules

Vallavaraayan

On 1 November 2023, YouTuber and self-proclaimed fact-checker Iyan Karthikeyan of the YouTurn channel announced on his X handle that he had been appointed as the Mission Director of the Fact-Checking Unit under the administrative control of Special Programme Implementation which is the portfolio of DMK scion and Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Prior to that, news started circulating on social media about his controversial appointment as the head of the fact-checking unit.

The controversial Government Order (GO) issued by the Tamil Development and Information Department states that there has been a rise in hate speech, misinformation and disinformation and this has necessitated the creation of a fact-check unit by the government.

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.

Be that as it may. Several red flag have been raised in the establishment of the FCU and the appointment process for various posts.

Political commentator ‘Savukku’ Shankar raised very pertinent questions in this regard. A video released on his YouTube channel provides insights into recruitment processes in the government setup. Here are some of the questions raised:

Secrecy Surrounding The Establishment Of FCU & Bypassing Legislative Approval

When then Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan presented the state’s budget for the year 2022-23, he mentioned that the state government has decided to form a special Social Media Monitoring Centre under the police department. He claimed that the Social Media Monitoring is being set up to ‘to battle fake news and misinformation on social media platforms’.

In September 2022, based on the directions of the MK Stalin-led DMK government, the Tamil Nadu Police formed a special ‘Social Media Monitor Team’ to monitor social media sites (read people criticizing DMK government on social media).

A whopping 203 officials and police personnel have been deputed for the task of “monitoring fake news on social media intending to create tension, riots, online frauds, drug smuggling, etc”.

Before the current controversy came to light, the government did not announce the setting up of an FCU under the Special Programmes Implementation department. 

It was only on 6 October 2023, the Tamil Development and Information (Advt) Department, acting on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, released a GO outlining the establishment of a fact-checking unit under the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).

The GO detailed that the DIPR’s director had recommended the creation of this unit, with the primary objective of acting as a deterrent against individuals and entities responsible for generating and spreading fake news and misinformation.

However, what has raised concerns is the fact that the setting up of this significant department was not brought up before the Assembly, leaving many to question the apparent urgency of its formation. The department’s operation is expected to incur an annual expenditure exceeding ₹3 crores, a substantial budget allocation. What adds to the unease is the revelation that this funding will be subject to approval in the 2023-24 supplementary budget. Until such approval is obtained, the expenses will be obtained from the contingency fund, prompting inquiries about the necessity and urgency behind establishing the department and utilizing contingency funds at a time when the DMK government is neither able to implement pay parity for government school teachers nor able to give ₹1000 for all women as it promised. 

Advertisement And Transparency

The recent High Court ruling regarding contract/temporary job recruitment dictates that candidates must be given an opportunity to compete for public employment through public notifications. However, there has been no advertisement in newspapers or on social media with regard to the job openings.

Qualifications

The positions within the Fact-Checking Unit are as follows: at the helm is the Mission Director, serving as the head of the unit. Supporting the director are the Project Director and Joint Director, both government officials, alongside two Project Leaders and two Human Resources specialists. Other than the Mission Director and the HR Manager, all the posts show relevant qualification requirements. It is for these two posts alone that an exception is made. The position of Mission Director requires either a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Technology (B.E./B.Tech) or a Master’s degree in Journalism or Mass Communication (M.A.), which might seem unusual considering the seemingly unrelated fields. In contrast, the Human Resources (HR) role necessitates a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (B.E.) and a post-graduate degree in Human Resources (HR) – thus raising questions about the selection process.

Recruitment Process

The recruitment process has come under scrutiny, particularly in light of a recent ruling by the High Court. According to the court’s decision, when it comes to contract or temporary job positions, the government is required to employ one of two methods: either by selecting candidates who are registered with employment exchanges or by issuing public notifications to call for applications. Justice Subramaniam emphasized that every eligible individual should have an opportunity to compete for public employment, and he cautioned against government actions that might suggest the hiring of temporary workers to later make them permanent staff.

Concerns have arisen due to the absence of advertisements for these positions on social media or in newspapers during the 25 days following the Government Order dated 6 October 2023. Key questions include:

When nurses are protesting over regularization of their services, here is the DMK government that is recruiting 80 members for a period of one year (extendable after that) to set up a questionable “fact-checking unit”.

Was Reservation Policy Followed?

Concerns have been raised whether 69% reservation policy of the Tamil Nadu government was implemented in appointments. A roster has to be followed as per the General Rules for Tamil Nadu State and Subordinate Services in providing reservations. If not followed, it would not just be a serious violation of rules and norms but will be dent the DMK’s credibility of being the flagbearer of social justice. 

Exorbitant Salary

Karthikeyan’s salary as Mission Director reportedly surpasses that of a high-ranking government officer. The substantial remuneration raises questions about the allocation of public funds. The salary structure for the positions is as follows:

All this when the state is under severe financial crunch when teachers are protesting for pay parity with an increase in salary.

Powers Given To The FCU

As per the Government Order (GO), the Fact-Checking Unit is entrusted with the responsibility of addressing complaints related to the state government, its ministries, departments, public sector enterprises, and various entities, without regard to the platform. The unit is empowered to proactively initiate fact-checking procedures and also accepts complaints from multiple sources. After a thorough assessment to determine relevance, the unit categorizes the received information.

Complaints falling within its scope are subject to rigorous fact-checking using various tools and cross-referenced with official government sources. The information is then divided into two categories: actionable and non-actionable. Within the actionable category, the Central Task Force collaborates with the government’s legal and law enforcement advisory teams to advance cases for legal action through the appropriate authorities.

It is noteworthy that suo moto powers are only given to the High Court and Supreme Court and even the police do not hold these powers. 

Allegations Of Favouritism

As reported by South First, it is suggested that members of the DMK IT wing, as well as party cadres active on social media, may have been given preferential treatment in the recruitment process, and it is likely that all the appointments have already been finalized, and the unit is on the verge of being operational.

These allegations and concerns have cast a shadow of doubt over the appointment of Iyan Karthikeyan as the Mission Director of the Fact-Checking Unit and the processes that led to this decision. 

It remains to be seen whether the so-called champions of free speech and democracy will challenge this fascist move of the DMK government in courts.

(With inputs from Savukku Media)

Vallavaraayan is a political writer.

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