SPREADING HATE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA – LEICESTER CASE STUDY
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EPISODE 69
In this video, we’re going to talk about the negative consequences of social media hate. Social media has given us the ability to connect with people from all over the world, but it’s also given us the ability to exchange ideas and thoughts in a fast and spontaneous way.
But the downside of social media is that it’s easy to exchange hateful comments and thoughts about other countries. This hatefulness is gradually destroying our relationship with other countries, and it’s not healthy for either party. We need to start paying more attention to the way we communicate on social media, and start using it as a tool to build relationships, not destroy them!
After India won the T20 match against Pakistan in the start of the World Cup in August this year, violence erupted in the town of Leicester in the United Kingdom. Leicester is a small English town with population of 3.5 Lakhs. The residents, a mixed community local whites and south-Asians are people who have been law abiding citizens.
The group clashes started between Hindu and Muslim youngsters. The violence continued for a couple of weeks and it appears that the Police was caught unawares and was not ready for this type of incident.
Why did people start fighting over something as silly as winning or losing a cricket match?
In this episode, I trace the roots of the problem. What should have a small law and order issue was converted into an international incident. Even the Government of India jumped in ring. With unnecessary escalation and undue support from countries outside the UK, the local groups got fuel to continue the quarrel.
There has been a gradual influx of a new generation of Indians into Leicester area. People from Daman & Diu, who could claim a Portuguese passport, had been migrating to UK – not to Portugal. While Britain was a part of the European Union, these Portuguese-Indians were able to settle in Leicester. This has clearly tilted the demographics of the city. Some newspapers say the the ‘new generation of Indians ‘who are not inclined to be quite as calm as those a generation earlier’.
The local press blamed these youngsters who were influenced Hindutva and RSS as the main reason for the Hindu Muslim confrontations. This is something that India did not like and so it stepped in.
The UK Government’s attempt to have an inquiry into the incident also failed due to external pressure groups. The allegations and counter allegations continue while the UK government is finding itself in a quandary over how to handle the case.
I take you through the Leicester violence incident as an example of how the social media is easily hijacked by undesirable elements for political gains.
Watch the full episode.
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