The Kolar Gold Field (KGF) area of Karnataka was engulfed in chaos as numerous citizens flocked to cyber cafes on Friday after they were misled. The citizens were eagerly attempting to link their ration cards with their Aadhaar cards in a bid to avail the freebies as a source of misinformation stated.
The citizens acted on impulse and rushed to the cyber cafes to get the linking done. This frenzy was orchestrated by the circulation of deceptive messages on social media platforms, leading unsuspecting citizens astray.
It is to be noted that the Congress Government has not yet released official guidelines for accessing the promised freebies. The citizens who flocked at cyber cafes in this case were given the impression that they cannot avail the Congress freebies without getting their documents linked.
Reports indicate that unscrupulous individuals seized the opportunity and disseminated false messages through social media. The miscreants falsely asserted that the deadline for linking Aadhaar cards with ration cards is May 31 and only then, the people could gain access to the benefits of Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi schemes.
With the rapid spread of these misleading claims, hundreds of citizens, predominantly women, gathered outside cyber cafes, driven by a desperate urge to comply with the purported requirement.
Shockingly, these cyber cafes were found to be exploiting the situation by charging an unjustifiable fee of Rs. 250 per person to facilitate the “linkage” process, exposing an elaborate scam. For all we know, this whole misinformation gala could be planned by the cyber cafe owners themselves for unethical profiteering.
Responding promptly to the alarming situation, law enforcement officials accompanied by relevant authorities, launched raids on multiple cyber cafes. The team simultaneously raised awareness among the citizens who had formed long queues.
The cyber cafe owners were duly cautioned about the grave consequences they would face if they persisted in preying upon innocent individuals. Cases were also booked against the ignorant cyber cafe owners.
Furthermore, authorities earnestly implored the public to exercise caution and resist falling victim to baseless rumours, underscoring the fact that the Government had not yet released the specific guidelines for the five freebie schemes in question.
It is worth noting that during its inaugural cabinet meeting held on May 20, the Congress-led Government granted in-principle approval to the freebie guarantees. However, the actual implementation of the freebie policies is claimed to happen only after the second cabinet meeting.
The unfortunate events in KGF serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by misinformation, which can swiftly exploit the vulnerabilities of unsuspecting citizens. While the Government’s initiatives to provide guarantees are still left hanging, it is imperative for swift action to be taken to counter the dissemination of false narratives and ensure transparent communication of official guidelines.