Conduct respectable debates on social media platforms: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi called for civility on social media at a national workshop for party workers on a day when partisan debate over a fabricated video of Amitabh Bachchan endorsing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi raged on the Internet.

“Stand for truth but stand firmly against abuse and conduct respectable debates on social media platforms,” said Gandhi, who himself is not present on social media. The workshop saw senior leaders such as Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, veterans of social media battles, sharing their wisdom on how to tackle the virtual opposition.

Gandhi’s message came on a day when the party’s social media brigade was busy making the most of a controversy involving a fabricated video that showed Bachchan endorsing Modi. With Bachchan vehemently denying endorsing Modi, Congress supporters started tweeting with the hashtag #fekufakesbachchan. #Feku is a pejorative term for Modi, which BJP supporters return in kind with the moniker #Pappu for Gandhi.

Parliamentarian Deepender Hooda said: “Their case is fit for those who want to use social media to spread half truths and canard... Social media can be used to spread truth. It is imperative for a political party to communicate its ideology and voice efficiently and strongly.”

Congress is playing catch up on social media with BJP, thanks to Modi supporters and an active network of volunteers, dominating the digital discourse. The party has decided to open a communication centre in each state, which would be connected with party headquarters in Delhi.

Congress MP Priya Dutt said party wants to bring all PCCs under one umbrella so that they could speak in one voice.