KUPWARA: On Thursday, District Magistrate Kupwara Ayushi Sudan issued an order requesting that the district’s populace abstain from any misuse of social media platforms. According to the district magistrate’s order, “it has been made to appear that some anti-national persons or groups are resorting to misuse of social-media networking platforms on internet by ‘preparing’ or ‘posting’ or ‘spreading’ or ‘propagating’ by way of ‘forwarding’ or ‘sharing’ incendiary messages and propoganda of terrorist and separatist outfits.” According to the order, these activities are being carried out with the intent to: a) glorify terrorists and their actions; b) intimidate and terrorise individuals, the general public, or specific groups within the public; c) encourage members of the public to resort to violence by inciting, encouraging, and spreading disaffection or hatred; d) propagate false narratives and terrorist and secessionist ideology; and e) promote feelings of hatred and ill will based on religion that are likely to disturb public order and tranquilly. “Such acts on part of these anti-national persons or groups are prejudicial to the security of the state, maintenance of law and order and are likely to disturb the public tranquilly” , the order states. It further states that “such acts on the part of these anti-national persons or groups are aimed at terrorising common citizens and public functionaries from discharging their lawful duties.” “In exercise of powers conferred upon me (District Magistrate) by section 144 CrPC 1973, I, Ayushi Sudan, IAS, District Magistrate, Kupwara do hereby prohibit and order the general public to refrain from ‘posting’ or ‘uploading’ or ‘propagating’ by way of ‘forwarding’ or ‘sharing’ any messages or content as mentioned with immediate effect within the limits of District Kupwara” , the order states. The order states, “This order will come into force with immediate effect.”