Admitting a rise in cyber crimes and social media campaigns creating communal disharmony after the Dadri incident, the Centre on Tuesday said it had cracked down on a number of Web sites in the past three years.

“Terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda, Hizbul Mujahdeen, ISIS and Boko Haram have been making use of the social media for recruitment, and to deal with the problem, the government will treat the issue effectively,” Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.

According to a statement laid on the table of the House, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir reported 5,693 cyber security-related cases registered across the country in 2013, which rose to 9,622 in 2014 and 11,592 cases in 2015.

Replying to members’ concern over the rise in cases and low convictions, Rijiju said: “There was the Dadri incident, which happened. This was used to create hatred and divide. We cracked down on many portals. That is why the figure jumped.”

Culling of animals

In reply to a question on human-animal conflict, the government said it had not allowed culling of any species posing a threat to farmers, but said wild boar, Nilgai and monkeys had been placed in Schedule V of the Wild Life Protection Act, which allows people to chase the animals away.

In his first reply as Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Anil Dave, said: “I want to clarify that the Centre has not given any order to cull animals, nor has any State government asked permission for it.”

Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh had requested to include “problematic wild animals” in Schedule V in accordance with Section 62 of the Act. Accordingly, Nilgai had been placed in the category in 31 districts and wild boar in 10 districts of Bihar. Wild boars have been placed in Schedule V in 13 districts of Uttarkhand for a year.

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