Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged BJP workers to desist from spreading ‘dirt’ on social media, emphasising that the issue was not about ideology but behaviour that did not indicate a decent society.
Mr. Modi made these remarks in a video interaction with BJP workers and volunteers from Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.
He lamented that a quarrel between two families in a ‘mohalla’ becomes national news nowadays.
Replying to a question, he said, “People at times overstep the bounds of decorum. They hear or see something false and forward it. They don’t notice how much damage they are doing to society. Some people use such words that do not behove any decent society. They say or write anything about women.”
According to him the issue is not about any political party or ideology. “It is about 125 crore Indians... and everybody should train themselves to never spread dirt through the social media,” he said.
The ‘Swachhta Abhiyan’ or cleanliness drive is not just about sanitation but also about mental purity, he said, asking people to share good things around them on social media.
Mr. Modi’s remarks come at a time when the party’s social media team or social media behaviour of those who claim to espouse the party’s ideology have led to criticism of use of foul language and misogynistic terminology.
The BJP has always rejected the charge and its supporters have argued that they are often a target of abuse by their rivals.
Mr. Modi also spoke about the “changing face of India” telling supporters that the country was on the cusp of “historic and unprecedented progress.”
“Every village in India has now electricity, schools and toilets while the country has become the largest manufacturer of mobile phones,” he said.
It has also become the fastest growing economy and fastest growing aviation market with more people flying than travelling in AC trains, he added.
Speaking about the development work carried out by his government in Varanasi, he said change is visible from roads to railway station to airport and that it is committed to the holy city’s progress.
He asked locals to work to ensure that visiting people of Indian origin during the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ during January 21-23 in 2019 witness the best of Indian culture.
He also urged them to contribute to the cleanliness drive during ‘Swachhta hi Sewa’ (Cleanliness is service) campaign from September 15 to October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Prime Minister also spoke about measures being taken by his government to make the region a health hub and also referred to ‘Ayushman Bharat’, a health insurance scheme that aims to provide cover to over 10 crore families.
