BJP IT team: A boon as well as bane?

 

The IT team plays a vital role in politics and elections in this time of the internet and social media. From liking posts, following, commenting, or spreading a hashtag, the IT team members, their groups, and the bots, their role has become important and impactful. Apart from regular workers of the party, there are hired and recruited groups of social media users on contract, mostly youth, who are engaged on per task basis in exchange of cash or kind.

BJP has the most efficient IT cells, followed by the social media team of AAP. The engagement ratio, the rate at which they work is fabulous and I am a fan of how they pull such a huge task. But these teams, mostly young, end up in disagreement with the old guards of the parties on many issues. Party seniors don’t tolerate anything that moves away from the way they want the party to be seen, which is a really bad thing. I will cite two incidents, which came out in public, which should have been better managed internally. I know, having such a large party that is democratic in its functioning and has people from varied regions, it is difficult to give what everyone wants. But that is something that the leader has to manage.

Sushma Swaraj was one of the finest leaders of the country, and if you ask me, a wonderful spokesperson, a fine leader of the opposition, and the best external affairs minister India ever had. Of course, my knowledge is limited, but no doubt, she was one of the best in the history of our country. When she was in charge of the external affairs ministry from 2014-2019, she was quite prompt in helping people out and social media was her most preferred platform. She was applauded for this work, not only in India but in other countries and by senior foreign officials. One day she received a complaint against a passport officer who denied doing the work of an interfaith couple and asked the man to change his religion to Hindu. On knowing the matter, he was transferred and they got their work done in two days. Sushma Swaraj received a lot of negative comments and replies for this work which did not go down well with some right-wingers. Most of the trolls that attacked her were having no own picture in the display picture and their bio was in support of either Modi or Hindutva or right-wing. What I felt really bad about was that she was also trolled for her kidney transplant and mean things were said. She, being a smart lady, did share some and liked some, but didn’t engage with them.

Subramaniam Swamy, a senior MP has been vocal about issues within the party. He even criticises the policies he finds a fault in the public through social media. He had stood up with students for the cancellation of examinations for NEET and JEE in this time of Coronavirus. He provided them legal advice as well as wrote to PM Modi, and shared it over social media, to address the grievances of the students. His continuous vocal work did not go well with the IT cell and they launched an attack on him. They trolled him at multiple posts and Swamy who has a distinctive fan following, had the fans argue with them. He even wrote on social media asking JP Nadda, the BJP president to sack Amit Malaviya, the head of the IT cell. That was a public outrage BJP lost a bit of reputation and followers from the student community as well. They showed this anger over the dislike button on YouTube of the BJP channel which made them remove that option altogether.

As efficient as these IT cells are, they report only to the top bosses and they don’t have accountability for many things. The efficiency might be an advantage but having no control over what they stand for and what they speak, is causing more harm internally. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be more dangerous.

 

The IT cells of other parties aren’t this fabulous or destructive (however you see them). They are efficient in whatever they do, good or bad. I was a big fan of Sushma Swaraj, hence I mentioned that case here. Mr Swamy’s case, because it was recent. I neither hate nor like BJP or any other central parties. I am critical of all parties at power in wrongdoings and support in the right. Tell me what do you think of IT cells in general.