New Delhi: For everyone who wanted to be a part of the government and thought they could do a better, more informed job of governing India, a Twitter hashtag could be what they were looking for.
#AltSarkar — or an alternate social media shadow government — has been started as a spoof government on Twitter, formed with the aim of deliberating on policies that a group of online citizens think the ruling dispensation should and shouldn’t have done.
The hashtag, created by columnist and commentator Vidyut earlier this week, is modelled around the idea of shadow governments in the Westminster tradition, wherein the opposition party appoints its legislators for key cabinet portfolios. The aim is to propose alternate policies from that of the actual cabinet ministers and help mount more meaningful critiques against the government in power.
While the Twitter shadow Indian government has six online members as of now, the “cabinet” is set to expand by Saturday.
‘Good ideas, bad ideas’
On a website titled ‘Fek Le! #AltSarkar’, Vidyut explained what the online trend is going for. She has taken on the mantle of ‘prime minister’ in the spoof government.
For those wondering what the whole #AltSarkar thing is https://t.co/ZAPaFEmxQN
— You may call me V (@Vidyut) August 22, 2019
“The idea is simple. There is no shortage of people with insight on various areas of relevance to policies. Yet somehow, we seem perpetually stuck with theatrical announcements of drastic policies that only make things harder for the common man, as well as the country,” says the description of #AltSarkar on the website.
“What if the good ideas were actually accepted? What if the bad ones were reversed?” it asks.
According to the website, the people have been selected for various roles — four ‘characters’ at the moment — based on their views on policy matters and interest areas.
The aim is to create a space that is conducive for informed criticism, dissent, interventions and also some humour. It is an attempt to breathe humour into the serious issues of governance and policy, and make them more appealing to young netizens.
Twitter user Sonali Ranade, who identifies herself as a trader, is the ‘Reserve Bank of India governor’ in AltSarkar.
On Thursday, she quipped that if the Indian economy were entirely composed of households, half of which fried pakoras for a livelihood and the other half brewed tea, which they exchanged with each other, we could say a 20 per cent tax-to-GDP ratio would give the government one fifth of all the ‘chai-pani’ & ‘pakoras‘ produced annually.
If our economy were entirely composed of households, 1/2 of which fried pakoras 4 a living, & the other 1/2 brewed chai, which they exchanged with each other, we could say a 20% tax-to-GDP ratio wud give Govt 1/5th of all the chai-pani & pakoras produced annually.#AltSarkar
— SonaliRanade (@sonaliranade) August 22, 2019
Her comment was a jibe was at the slowing economy under the Narendra Modi government, which has denied a jobs crisis in the country.
The members of the new alternate regime have promised that the spoof government would be a lot more accessible to journalists — a jibe at the Modi government’s alleged reluctance to share information with scribes.
First @nsitharaman forbade reporters from MoF. Then she forbade them from asking questions. Now she says they cannot report industry news that screams job losses. https://t.co/leCVLHoZnp
Alt_PM @vidyut’s #AltSarkar will hopefully never forbid any reporting
— SonaliRanade (@sonaliranade) August 22, 2019
The AltSarkar already has a strong support base of citizens advising it on what matters to take up. Sucheta Dalal, a senior journalist and columnist, said in a tweet that one’s politics aside, having an alt government was a “brilliant idea”.
seriously brilliant idea. Without getting into the politics of it, if we have an #ALT plan document made and put on the NET, it will be a game-changer. Should be simple and easy for EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND. 1dt on the AGENDA should be to CUT the size of govt @Moneylifers
— Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) August 22, 2019
Calling it a fictional world, the people behind AltSarkar have said that they don’t know where they are going with this spoof government, but are certain it would be “good”.
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