PANJIM: Goa Forward Party leader Atanasio Monserrate on Tuesday filed a complaint before the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Cyber Cell of Goa Police with regard to fake news being circulated in his name through some electronic media.
The snapshot of a Twitter account run by a local cable channel has been circulated in the social media which quotes Monserrate appealing to the people not to vote for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the August 23 by-election.
“Babush (Monserrate) appeals citizens not to vote for Parrikar as he was threatened to join Goa Forward Party,” reads the post circulated through social media.
Monserrate filed the complaint seeking “immediate action and investigation”. The former MLA said that unknown people have used his name and released false and malicious news about him in the social media.
“This is causing grave damage to me and my party, namely Goa Forward Party. This is also causing hindrance in the conduct of the free and fair polls as it seeks to mislead the voters of Panjim constituency which is going to the polls on August 23,” the complaint mentions.
This is second such instance of fake news reported in the run-up to the Panjim by-election. In the first case, Parrikar had complained that a message was going around that that he had said he will go back to centre as Union Defence Minister if he fails to get elected in Panjim.
