NHAI And Gadkari Debunk News Of Two Wheeler Toll Tax Mandate
Just a few hours ago, we here at Cartoq and a few other media publications reported that from 15th July, two-wheeler riders will be required to purchase FASTags and pay toll taxes. However, soon after these reports gained traction online, clarifications from NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari have now surfaced. They have debunked this report and have highlighted that these are “fake” media reports.
NHAI’s clarification on two-wheeler riders paying toll tax report
As stated above, just when the report of two-wheeler owners and riders mandating paying toll taxes started to become viral on the internet, the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) shared a post on X to clarify their stance on the matter. In their tweet, the department highlighted that there is no such proposal under consideration.
In its tweet, NHAI stated, “#FactCheck: Some sections of the media have reported that the Government of India plans to levy user fees on two-wheelers. #NHAI would like to clarify that no such proposal is under consideration. There are no plans to introduce toll charges for two-wheelers. #FakeNews.”
MoRTH minister Nitin Gadkari also issued clarification
In addition to NHAI, the Union Minister for the Department of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has also shared a tweet from his official handle on X. In this post, the minister has mentioned, “Some media houses are spreading misleading news about imposing toll tax on two-wheeler vehicles. No such decision has been proposed.”
He added, “The exemption on toll for two-wheeler vehicles will continue fully. Spreading misleading news without verifying the truth to create a sensation is not a sign of healthy journalism. I condemn this.”
Our stance on the fake reports and clarifications
Many readers will note and highlight that we have also been spreading “fake news.” However, like the government authorities, we would also like to issue a clarification. We want to highlight that our previous story was written after making sure that the information came from a credible source, which is India Today.
On most occasions, reports from India Today are true, and their credibility is very high. However, this time around, the original source has deleted their story after getting backlash. And like India Today, we could have also deleted our original report. However, we do not want to be seen as a publication which spreads fake news and then deletes posts after they are proven fake.
We are writing this to make sure that people know why our original report was published. To make sure that the original fake news does not spread any further, we have added the clarification from NHAI on the original report as well. We just want to make sure that we are as transparent as possible. Cartoq, over the years, has also made sure that we follow the guidelines of real, true, and ethical journalism. We make sure that when things go otherwise, we fulfill our responsibility and make sure that the readers are never misled.
Netizens’ reactions to government’s clarification
A number of netizens on the official posts of the NHAI and Nitin Gadkari have shared their views. Many of the users have mentioned that the original report could be a method of testing waters, and as soon as backlash was noted, a clarification was issued. One of the users stated, “Successfully tested water, now blaming media?” Another user stated, “Give feelers and when they see backlash, call it fake news.”