Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 11: In yet another controversy, right-wing inclined portal Postcard News finds itself in trouble for circulating a fake letter and claiming it to be written by Karnataka minister and president of Bijapur Lingayat Association M B Patil to Sonia Gandhi.
The news shared by Postcard News read, “MASSIVE EXPOSE! Karnataka minister M B Patil’s letter to Sonia Gandhi reveals that Global Christian Council and World Islamic organisation masterminded the division of Lingayats in Karnataka!”
However, Alt-News which followed up to find the authenticity of the letter has certified it as fake.
The letter alleged that Patil held talks with Global Christian Organisation and World Islamic Organisation to formulate the strategy for the upcoming Karnataka and the 2019 general elections. The alleged “Divide-Hindus-Unite-Muslim” strategy aimed to “unite the Christian and Muslim votes and divide the Hindus on the basis of caste and sub-caste.”
However, Alt News reveals that a quick search on the internet shows ‘Global Christian Council’ and ‘World Islamic Organisation’ do not exist.
The fake letter has concocted names of organisations and Postcard on the basis of the photoshopped letter is appealing voters to uphold the Hindutva agenda. “They are using Christian and Muslim to target Hindus and destroy this Nation to come back to power which needs to be stopped,” the website appealed.
The letter was widely shared. However, as soon as the letter was challenged and Karnataka police was tagged, the news item as well as Postcard News Founder Mahesh Hegde’s tweet disappeared.
“I came to know through my son and some friends who sent me the PostCard News story related to Sonia Gandhi about a letter with my signature. There is all sorts of nonsense written in it, creating a conspiracy theory. I am going to take this to the logical end and will resort to legal action of criminal defamation”, said M B Patil in a conversation with Alt News.
It is barely a month, since Mahesh Hegde the founder of Postcard News was arrested and released on bail on allegations of spreading fake news. Hegde who claims to be followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official twitter handle, was arrested for spreading a fake news on Jain monk being attacked. His arrest was vehemently opposed by several BJP leaders, who demanded his release.