We take easily to words on the street because they are more exciting than truth. We do not question their veracity. Rumours can be devastatingly effective.

News pages are no space for vain scuttlebutt and idle talks. Once in a while, however, they demand a special place among matters sober and significant. Talebearing can cause serious, often unnecessary, impact in a small society like ours.

The point of concern is that some reckless individuals from some quarters are rearing fear and unease in the society. Facebook pages are filled with warnings of strange forebodings using the name and office of influential and highly-regarded public figures in an attempt to authenticate their baseless tattle.

We hear that someone important has predicted a powerful earthquake that will visit the country very soon. This groundless talk has disturbed the public so much that some are already planning to move out of their house and bivouac somewhere safe. The begetters of the rumour have succeeded in creating fear and alarm largely by linking the kurims that are being planned throughout the country to the possibility of devastating earthquake.

No one had a vision of impending disaster; no one has predicted any sort of nationwide mishap.  What is circulating in the society in the manner of disturbing information today is wholly unfounded. Individuals spreading such stories and creating panic in the society should rue their word and actions and, to right the wrong done unto the people, must correct the information and help abate fear in the society.

Citizens of this nation, here is the fact: the Dratshang Lhentshog has asked all rabdeys and goendeys in the country to conduct kurim from August 25 until September 8, not because some terrible disaster is looming, but because the particular days of these months are deemed astrologically auspicious to conduct kurim.

Rumours are good for nothing and can give rise to detrimental consequences. Creating fear and suspicion, and sowing seeds of division in the society, is criminal. Whoever is spearing this fear among people through various means must be found and made to explain their conduct.