KATHMANDU: Despite repeated suggestions coming from the United States authorities on Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), digital sites are still flooded with fabricated news, false headlines, doctored photos, and videos.
Fictitious information is being presented in the guise of authentic news on several online news portals, particularly the less-popular ones.
In fact, the issue of MCC has become a trending topic in the country with false information, eye-popping headlines making it difficult for the readers to evaluate.
Several of such fake news seems to have disseminated in the pretext of ‘nationalism’ with a narrow mission to discredit the US efforts and assistance to Nepal.
In one of such news reports, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Agni Prasad Sapkota, has said that he would rather resign than endorse the MCC from the Parliament, which is fake news.
Speaker Sapkota has not said that he would not move forward with the MCC Compact in Parliament.
Likewise, another less-known digital news portal “Aafnokura.com”, has given a headline with Speaker Sapkota saying, “I would rather quit politics than to endorse the MCC”.
A news portal, “Sansar ko Khabar”, which is also not popular, says, “PM Deuba would resign if the MCC was not endorsed.”
“Poor Nepalis are not fortunate to get Rs 59 billion,” it also says.
Interestingly, a news portal “Sathi Khabar”, in its headline says, “US warns of blocking Nepalis to go for foreign employment if MCC not endorsed”.
Another portal, Namlo Khabar says, “UML leader Bhim Rawal receives threats from the United States”.
It should be noted that Rawal is a staunch supporter of anti-MCC rhetoric in Nepal.
Even more, a social media user has written on the Facebook wall, saying that even Sikkim’s Chief Minister says MCC is not in favor of Nepal.
Meanwhile, Onlinemarga, a news portal, says Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai is making his last-ditch effort to endorse MCC.
It should be noted that MCC’s Nepal Compact is mainly designed to strengthen Nepal’s energy sector, improve regional energy connectivity, and control transportation costs to encourage growth and private investment.
Nepal and the United States signed a $500 million compact to spur economic growth and reduce poverty in Nepal on September 14, 2017.
According to the MCC Nepal Compact, it aims at strengthening Nepal’s energy sector, improving regional energy connectivity, and controlling transportation costs to encourage growth and private investment.
Fake news posing as legitimate journalism is being disseminated to fulfill someone’s vested interests in the form of ‘conspiracy theory’ in Nepal.
Meanwhile, newsfatafat online quotes Speaker Sapkota saying, “I will not be deterred by threats from pro-MCC puppets.”
Comment