The ultra-nationalist news channels, often known as 'Godi Media,' ran yet another divisive news segment, where they appended, which become a norm by these media, the Islamic nomenclature 'Jihad', to actions, concepts, and even emotions like 'Love Jihad' and 'Land Jihad,' with the malicious intention of creating hatred towards the Muslim community.
A vicious piece of news of such nature has recently been doing the rounds for the last few weeks on the aforementioned 'Godi Media' channels, such as Aaj Tak, ABP, News18 India, Zee News, and News Nation, regarding 'Gaming Jihad' in India.
This news has drawn a thorough investigation into the reports by the independent fact-checker and online news portal Newslaundry, which revealed that these media reports were aimed at instilling fear and rage among the public by claiming that Hindu boys were being brainwashed into adopting Islam through online games.
The revelation shed light on how these media outlets engage in twisting facts and adding distortions to the truth, intending to convey messages of fear by cherry-picking facts and disregarding critical details.
The sensationalized narrative claimed that young Hindu boys were being converted to Islam through online games, but a closer investigation reveals a story riddled with holes and misinformation.
The controversy began when Sudhir Chaudhary of Aaj Tak aired a broadcast on June 6, warning viewers about the dangerous game allegedly played by schoolboys in India. He claimed that four cases had come to light where boys playing online games were brainwashed and instigated to adopt Islam. However, upon examination, it became evident that Chaudhary's remarks lacked substantial evidence and accuracy.
What was the story that ran by these news channels?
The channels ran their reports focusing on the alleged involvement of the element of 'Jihad' in cases where gaming is used as a means to force people, including teenagers and schoolboys, to convert to Islam. They portrayed gaming as a new means of technological tool.
In his broadcast on June 6, Aaj Tak's Sudhir Chaudhary claimed that Muslim boys, who play games under Hindu names, pursue Hindu boys to recite verses from the Quran and make them believe that memorizing the Quran can help them win online games. Additionally, he alleged that these Muslim boys coerce Hindu boys into converting to Islam by promising miraculous outcomes in their lives.
Chaudhary's conversion assertion did not stop, continuing with a vague claim of possible conversions ranging from 400 to four lakh as the victims of alleged 'Gaming Jihad'.
The other news channels also ran their news on it with almost the same vigour.
What is the Fact Newslaundry found?
Firstly, the case actually involved three teenagers, not four, and two of them were over the age of 18, debunking the notion that they were mere "schoolboys." These teenagers were friends online due to their shared interest in gaming but had never met in person. Their interaction was limited to gaming and text messages.
One of the teenagers, Rohan –name changed, had developed an interest in Islam after buying computer parts from a Muslim man named Baddo in Mumbra two years ago. The teenager’s father, concerned about his son's newfound fascination, filed a police complaint against the unnamed Mumbai person for allegedly influencing his son. The Ghaziabad police subsequently filed an FIR in the case.
However, the parent of one of the other two teenagers involved stated that her son had never interacted with Baddo or been a victim of jihad. Her son's phone number was mentioned in the FIR simply because it was found on Rohan’s phone. She refuted the media's claims, asserting that it was Rohan himself who tried to coax her son into showing interest in Islam.
Speaking out against the sensationalized coverage, Malati- the name is only for reference and is not a real name, the mother of one of the teenagers, condemned the media for spreading fake news and exaggerating the situation. She stressed that there was no connection between gaming and religious conversion and presented evidence, including text messages, to the police to support her claims.
Despite the media's portrayal of a massive conversion racket, the arrests made by the Ghaziabad police focused solely on Shahnawaz Maksud Khan, also known as Baddo and his friends. However, locals in Mumbra, where Shahnawaz resided, expressed outrage at the spread of false information about their community, vehemently denying any knowledge of such conversion conspiracies.
What did FIR say?
The FIR, filed on May 30 at Ghaziabad's Kavi Nagar police station, detailed a complaint by Rohan's father. According to the FIR obtained by Newslaundry, Rohan, a minor, was allegedly coerced into converting to Islam. The complaint stated that Rohan had been behaving strangely and frequently visited a mosque, claiming that Islam was a better religion. Upon checking his son's laptop and phone, Rohan's father found literature related to Islam and discovered his son's contact with a man named Baddo through online gaming.
The FIR mentioned a UPI payment made to Baddo two years ago, leading the complainant to believe that his son had been influenced by him. Concerned about his son's vulnerability to anti-national activities, Rohan's father suspected the involvement of more people and labelled it an "international racket," implicating the Sector 23 mosque.
The FIR listed eight individuals, including the two teens who played online games with Rohan, as part of the alleged racket. This incident was labelled as "gaming jihad." On June 4, the Ghaziabad police arrested Abdul Rahman alias Nanni, accused of converting Rohan and another unnamed teenager to Islam. The police claimed that Muslims adopt Hindu identities during the gaming phase, instigate the targets to follow Islamic rituals on Discord during phase two, and then show videos of Zakir Naik to encourage conversion in phase three.
Shahnawaz Maksud Khan, known as Baddo, was identified as the key figure behind this plot, leading to his arrest on June 11 in Alibaug. Two of his friends, Tauseef and Aryan Shaikh, were also arrested in Mumbai. They were accused of hiding Shahnawaz and providing a SIM card to his brother.
However, Tauseef and Aryan's relatives stated that they were childhood friends and denied any involvement in the alleged activities. The investigation is ongoing, with further questioning and involvement of the Ghaziabad police.
The claims of 400 conversions!
Furthermore, claims of "400 conversions" in Mumbra were traced back to a Hindutva activist named Updesh Rana, who has a history of spreading misinformation. The Thane police found no evidence to support these conversion allegations, and local MLA Jitendra Awhad challenged the media to provide concrete proof.
This investigation into the "gaming jihad" story has exposed the media's role in manufacturing a narrative fuelled by fear and sensationalism. The facts, when carefully examined, do not support the alarming claims made by certain news outlets. It is essential to verify the information and avoid jumping to conclusions that can perpetuate divisiveness and misinformation within society.
As more details continue to emerge, it is crucial for media organizations to uphold journalistic integrity, present balanced narratives, and prioritize fact-checking. The responsibility lies with the media to provide accurate and unbiased reporting, fostering informed public discourse and promoting a more cohesive and understanding society.