Social media campaign in Gujarat takes communal turn

GANDHINAGAR: An undercurrent of cyber campaign in Gujarat election is building around communal issues. Several messages and videos are doing the rounds on social media targeting Congress in overtly communal tone.

Sample these:
"Once Indira Gandhi won election with cow as her symbol. Today, Congress is out to win election eating cow. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

"Rahul Khan who said that temple-goers tease women is going to temples in Gujarat & seeking votes. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

"Congress didn't pay heed to the plight of Pandits & now goes to court for Rohingyas. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

"Congress that had said Ram is imaginary is visiting temples & seeking votes. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

"Congress that screamed from rooftop during Gujarat riots is silent in Bengal. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

"Congress that called 100 crore Hindus "saffron terrorists" today speaks of harmony. Stay alert. Congress is coming to fool."

A recently surfaced video shows anxious parents waiting for their daughter in late evening. The video shows the scared daughter walking in the street amid sounds of azaan. The parents look relieved when she comes home. When the parents say that 22 years ago women were not safe, the girl says such a situation would never return in Gujarat as Gujarat has Modi. The video ends with a tagline “Your vote your safety.”

According to political observers, the undercurrent of the campaign is being built around the fear of Muslims and the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a strong Hindu leader.

The BJP, however, distances itself from this campaign. Party spokesperson Bharat Pandya denies that the saffron party has anything to do with these messages. “This is not our official campaign. Whatever officially we have to say is all on our official website and verified accounts," he said. When asked about the origin of these messages, he said, “Social media is a vast sea. How would one know who is doing what? I have no idea who is behind such campaigns.”

Meanwhile, the Congress has launched a counter-campaign, 'Gujaratne daraosho nahi' (don’t scare Gujarat). Chairman of Gujarat Congress Information Technology Cell Rohan Gupta alleged in a statement that the BJP had started scaring the people of Gujarat on various issues, talking about Hindus and Muslims, curfews and women safety. He said the Congress had launched a new campaign to counter it.




The Congress campaign includes various creative memes accusing BJP of not fulfilling its promises, carrying out atrocities on Patidars and Dalits, sexual exploitation of women in Kutch, imposing internet curfew, etc.