India is using all its resources to fight the deadly coronavirus. Hotels are being turned into hospitals. Trains are being converted into isolation wards. Leaders are becoming messengers. Police have taken the additional responsibility of keeping people inside their homes during the lockdown period. Opposition leaders are standing with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to make sure that people follow the lockdown. All in all, India stands united. Except one group — the BJP’s IT cell.
In the midst of the Narendra Modi government’s war-like preparations to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the BJP’s IT cell continues to engage in spreading hate and misinformation. It seems that the IT cell has vowed to become an enemy of its own party and the country. Its troll armies have taken to the Covid-19 pandemic as if a Lok Sabha election was going on and they have to make sure the BJP wins, by hook or by crook.
In 2018, then BJP president and now Union home minister Amit Shah had said that his party workers are capable of delivering any message to the public. The BJP’s WhatsApp group has over 32 lakh subscribers. He recounted how an IT cell worker had once pushed a fake news about Akhilesh Yadav slapping his father Mulayam Singh, which went viral.
In his radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recounted several incidents over the years, marvelling every time how they would go viral on social Media. Both Modi and Amit Shah are very familiar with the idea, and the importance, of something going viral. So why is their IT cell not using its abilities to share with the masses correct and useful information on the ongoing health crisis instead of doing what it does best?
Also read: Nearly 18,000 Twitter accounts spread ‘fake news’ for BJP, 147 do it for Congress: Study
What IT cell is doing now
The BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya is leading his pack from the front. Most of his tweets are ridiculous and hilarious. It appears that he wakes up every day with a mission to spread fake news. The resources of most websites involved in busting fake news are spent on misinformation that Malviya and his IT cell team spread when they could have been used to impart useful health-related information to deal with the ongoing pandemic that has locked more than a billion people inside their homes. Malviya’s Twitter timeline shows he isn’t much concerned about the coronavirus.
In February, when the whole world was figuring out ways to prepare for the coronavirus crisis, the BJP IT cell was busy telling people about the benefits of cow urine (gaumutra) and cow dung (gobar). WhatsApp groups were flooded with messages exhorting people to drink cow urine and lace their homes with cow dung; if they did that, the messages said, even coronavirus’ father wouldn’t dare come near them. Not only this, to make their propaganda seem credible and give it an Ayurvedic colour, they added basil and neem leaves. To attract the religious ones, a message was put out that if you light as many diyas as the number of sons you have, then the coronavirus will not come near you.
But what happened? By March, the coronavirus had spread to many parts of India. The number of cases started to double every five-six days. But for the BJP’s IT cell, which had until then been busy publicising US President Donald Trump’s rally and India becoming a ‘Vishwa Guru’, the pandemic was still a conspiracy by other countries. Until the Modi government announced a complete lockdown, the IT cell continued to mislead the public. It is quite possible that due to this propaganda, people also became casual and many stopped taking the situation seriously.
But it did not stop here. When Prime Minister Modi demanded a 14-hour Janata curfew and asked people to bang pots and pans, the IT cell spread the misinformation that the sound will dispel the threat of coronavirus. On Friday, when the PM asked the people to light diyas and candles “for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday”, the IT cell immediately started propagating the ‘scientific’ aspect of lighting diyas.
Also read: Between locked down cities and distant homes, migrants lost their way in own country
The exodus of labourers
Even the poor, working-class labourers weren’t spared. After PM Modi announced the national lockdown with only four hours’ notice, thousands of labourers began walking home from different cities, hungry and without public transportation, to their villages hundreds of kilometres away. The Modi government has repeatedly asserted that the workers were given wrong information “that the lockdown would continue for more than three months” due to which this exodus happened. But who gave them this wrong information? Apart from the IT cell, no one is connected to the public on such a massive scale.
The rumour about the Delhi government planning to disconnect power connection in houses of migrant labourers if they stayed in the city further panicked them.
Also read: Coronavirus was a test of secular nationalism. Then Tablighi Jamaat became the scapegoat
Hitting the mother lode
And then came the Tablighi Jamaat. It was as if the BJP IT cell had struck gold. From the moment some coronavirus cases began to emerge among Muslims linked to Tablighi Jamaat, which had held a religious gathering in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz in mid-march, the IT cell went into overdrive to shame the community and put the blame entirely on them — as if each Muslim in India was responsible for the foolishness of a group. The IT cell had been relentlessly targeting Muslims, even accusing them of “deliberately” spreading the coronavirus. There is no consideration for administrative lapse or behaviours common to all religions; it’s all hate.
Indians are fighting against coronavirus and the BJP IT cell is fighting against Indians on top of everything else it does, such as engaging in vendetta politics and spreading the daily dose of hate against India’s minorities. What can be achieved with this attitude? It is obvious that the well-equipped IT cell with deep pockets hates any semblance of peace in the country. The IT cell must be disbanded after every election because that is the only time when the BJP may claim any need of this machinery.
Not to say it isn’t so during polls, but beyond elections, everything the IT cell does makes it a permanent threat to Indians’ peace and security.
Views are personal.
Writing this after going through several comments on article. Let’s begin.
Disclaimer :I don’t subscribe to any political party. But I try to take down political workers masquerading the JOURNALISTS.
1.Neutral media is a Myth. Everyone, I repeat everyone has an affiliation and agenda. Iam sorry to break it to you. If you don’t think so you are probably innocent or ignorant or idiot. Period.
2. While there is an element of truth in the artical, it’s not complete. Picking up selected events spread over a considerable time line and extrapolating to the whole thing. For extralpolation the events picked up should be random. Moreover one can’t prove that the WhatsApp forwards are by one particular side. There is a possibility that the other side also may be doing to embarrass the former side.
3 unfortunately all parties are guilty of this kind of actions. If one goes after Muslims others chase down any kind of hindu organizations expecially RSS. Hence this article can’t claim to be objective and unbiased.
I can go on but that’s all for today. Ciao
BJP thrives on illiteracy so BJP IT. Cell leader in fake news encashes the illiteracy with fake deshbhakti makes life easier for leaders in troubled times
Are you telling us Bongs are highly literate?
YES…. we bongs are better and he may not be explicit but it is implied. In fact every time a bengali speaks this is what goes on in the mind of the non-bengali we can’t help it really ?
This FAKE NEWS MEDIA is working overtime to spread Anti India Propaganda.
Well said. We Indian should worry about this pendamic rather than spreading fake news resulting communal mishaps.
If you are correct that BJP IT cell doing spreading wrongs, than if you have guts sue them in court. But All the good deeds information IT cell is giving is to create oneness and social awareness. And all mentioned items Gomoothra, Neem definitely have the powers to stop virus at beginning. It is part of Sanitization. Than what is wrong
Do u have proof? I give u a dare-drink gomutra 10 times a day and go out in public. If anybody stops you,tell them that you drank it.Let us see how many believe you.
Why are personal views of an individual or an entity are being posted online by The Print so majority of its users and non-users can view them and make this their own business.
Why are you guys always after BJP. All your articles are one-sided, everytime he does something good you guys are the only ones to follow it up with negations, why is that that whenever something good is said or done you guys have to be the one’s to put an article making it a joke.
Get a new job guys, I can’t tell you to post anything as I am just an individual but just to get your own importance back, why not start posting a couple of positive things about Narendra Modi. Start with letting people know about the positive things he has done in the past 5-6 years along with all the negatives that follow him everywhere. It’s just that everytime you people write something it is to just negate one individual but what you guys don’t know is that you are in fact negating millions of people who voted for him to become our PM again.
You are anti nationals and advocating the Jamaat culprits who conspired to mass infect India by the Pendamic virus. You are behaving like anti Indians. After all why not, you are being heavily paid for it. Best lack traitors.
The Wire and The Print , both of these portal should be immediately banned in India.The wire is a very neutral and well informative print in US but not in India.
For fake news in WhatsApp and tweeter like app there should very harsh punishment.
Great article. Glad that someone wrote about this grave threat to peace and India. I’m confident that India will over come corona ( thanks to Surya bhagawan ?? ), but BJP is the real virus threat of India. These guys are as corrupt as the previous governments, but their supports seem to be blind to these, just because they believe BJP is going to save them from the supposed mulsim threat. What Bhakts don’t realize is that the threat itself is manufacture by BJP. We cannot afford to have a government that seems to benefit from disharmony among communities. Jai Hind.
Really you print people you should be kicked out of India, a bunch of rascals and and you are
I don’t understand thes news ” The Print” just trys to provoke the india people against the government. In this time of crisis they should be covering something better then playing the blame game. Just provoking the peole to create a spark and earn is not enough. When has the print spoken good about the BJP led government , I clearly shows its just one sided news always can’t trust these media guys.
The print… Aur NDTV…. Wah bhai wah…
From where do you get all these rubbishes… BJP IT cell is not misleading… It’s you who are misleading.
Come on now… Publish some proper news…
It is not BJP who are splitting Muslims from Hindus, it’s you and your TRP greed…
STOP painting a target on heads of Hindus. STOP spreading hate. Its is because of ‘journalists’ like you that people like Kamlesh Tiwari are murdered by islamic fanatics. It is because of people like you that muslims went crazy in Delhi and murdered dozens of Hindus.
I reality, it is people like you who spread hate and misinformation who are enemy of all civilization. May Jamatis show you the same grace they showed lady doctors and nurses.
You’re an IT Cell worker also
The Print , will go to any extent to write ant-India articles to please their missionary godfathers. Some journals like Washington Post, New York Times etc., are reportedly paying 1500 dollars per 1000 words of ant-India articles. Perhaps, The Print is supplementing their revenue by this kind of false news.
Anti BJP is Not anti India
Absolutely ? right….now these days even gnanapeet & other awards are given for anti hindu& anti-national writeups
Oh really are you have closed your eyes or just wanted not see.
The BJP does not have to fight any fake news or vivid 19as our PM has,, ,Nitro Dhanyavad,, said the virus has left,, India is now free from the virus thanks Mr N Modifying, from tomorrow India is back on its feet , just waiting for the PM, s call,, if he dates do it
Looks like Wuhan Gorona Vazruz has affected your head.
Print is anti-India minded.can’t believe on this report.
This paper is run by anti nationals. This gang is only there to spread hatred for Hindus. Seems they are funded by congress and ISI.
The print is the misleading misinforming and anti national by posting such stuff on its online version. Keep your personal view to yourself. Thank you and Namastey.
The PRINT should rename itself as THE PRICK.
It will get a better response in USA & Europe.
The print is the misleading misinforming and anti national by posting such stuff on its online version. Keep your personal view to yourself. Thank you and Namastey.
It is very unlucky that the IT cell of the ruling party is competing to cook and spread fake news while a pandemic is around us. It is more unlucky that a higher proportion of Indians believe and spread that news. Not only unlucky, but also it is very dangerous too. Remember that ‘Sathyameva Jayathe’ is our slogan. But unfortunately, the rulers themselves are becoming the largest source of fake news.
Print ka owner kaun hai bhai ?
Is BJP IT only giving fake.
What about this article of ThePrint ?
Is it not one sided ?
Stating facts does not have a side.
Cow urine does not cure anything.
This is biased and one sided opinion
So all those social media videos of skull-cap wearing individuals claiming Corona is Allah’s NRC, saying that we will now rule over India etc are also the BJP’s IT Cell’s doing? Why doesn’t The Print talk about them? Why do you tuck your tails between your mangy legs when it comes to reporting these social media posts?
Who is saying
We will not obey supreme court
Parliament
Prime minister
Understand they want to break
This country
Talibaniyon your game is over
Obey the law or perish
I don’t want to see the print… Jake America ko smbhaal
I am a common Indian. I fight against fake news, rumors, anti nationals and the writers in media who is only negative. For me, BJP IT cell is fighting against such anti nationals and negatives.
Modi is god
Modi is here.
Where is alla?
Print,wire guardian,Bbc,ndtv etc.. are all top mis information givers particularly against indian ruling govt.
Unethical journalism paid media houses. They are no good to India. Ban these from Indian soil
Print, Wire, Guardian and BBC are voices of sanity. I would not include NDTV in that list.
They expose fake news and pseudoscience propagated by the government, which should be doing the opposite.
If you don’t have sense to read facts, stick to your mindless jingoistic cow urine recommending publications.
Jyoti Yadav is a congressi propagandist who is sitting at home and fabricating lies. Kitne paise mile honge is kutiya ko desh par apni tatti uchanlne ke liye?
The existing PM relief Fund contain the Congress President as a member of the funds by statute, a clever manoeuvre by the congress to keep a hold in the fund even if they are not in power. Hence just to get rid of the mischievous Congress a separate fund is made and in this fund no such condition is put, irrespective of any party.
Why bjp It cell head still not arrested for spreading fake news it’s really danjarous virus for India
I not representing any group. Article is right for the people who are spreading a fake news. But being unbiased how one can say the first two case were being spread by the IT cell. If you have the proof why are you still waiting to file a complain for spreading a fake new. In the last scenario I think you should not defend the Tabalagis. We all can see the consequences of that ‘illegal’ gathering, everything has been in news. You can not say it is fake. Now you may categorize this as bhakt’s comment as it is not in your favor. this article can be categorize as a anti BJP as nowhere it mentions the decision of Janta confew or lockdown was a perfect step to fight against Covid-19 pandemic. Both central and State Government are trying best to control the situation, everyone should cooperate.
Could you Pl explain me how the Jamaat congregation which between March 13 to 15 was illegal when India was working normally in that time?
Delhi Govt. had issued an order 7 days ago prohibiting a gathering over 50 people. Even someone like you can understand that the Jamaat which had well over 2000 bearded hairy fanatics, was well over that.
Absolutely spot on the it cell heading towards self destruction wait and watch its own down fall good job the print
Another WhatsApp says NASA has approved the 9pm 9 minute thing by their research. Now I thought NASA is a space research agency. What NASA has gotta do with so many things ?
India under Morarjee were enamoured of drinking own urine. Modijee substituted it with Gaumutra :–)
The comments make for a more ‘interesting’ read than the article itself…
One very surprising observation… If this same sort of article appeared a few years back… would as many people be ‘daring’ enough to fearlessly highlight ‘undesirable items’ in the ruling Government’s Agenda?
So is this Progression or Regression?… Have some acquired the ability to ‘challenge’ the hereto seemingly ‘unchallengeble’? Is there an urgent need for a ‘corrective’ fear ‘re-inducing’ strategy.
Think about it…
Perfectly right…in today’s tough time,in d wake of fake,paid and godi media this article clearly reflects how brave & independent you are.
A big round of applause.
Print is bloody fake news..shame on you for spreading this..yuck print!
Prove that this news is fake, before you blabber.
I have news for you.
You are an idiot.
Now before you blabber, prove that this news is fake.
So you want everybody to prove that the Print is fake. In your opinion the Print has no obligation to prove itself right! This is a true Pappu mentality. You remember “chowkidar chor” canard?
Let the Hitler come to power democratically .the gobels is inevitable.History is repeating itself .The Islamic virus is overestimated .Itis just 15 corores.but the more dangerous saffron hindutva virus than the corona is,50corores exactly now think who is overpowering.Let them fight corona will certainly win over them and in the end the green and saffron viruses will be distributed by the humanity .
What is gobels and what is ‘corores’? At least learn to write first.
To save the country from a divided country, at this time of National crisis, BJP IT cell should also observe total lockdown and IT Cell head Amit should be sent on leave
This print itself airs fake news(pappu news)
The Print should be erased.
Much doing damage to the Nation
Our so called secular infact sic’ular media always hides fact from the people about the atrocities committed by the fanatic Muslims thinking they will ultimately change with the time and telling about their pigheadedness will sow hatred in Hindus. But despite all mollycoddling and cajoling they do not change but only increase their pigheadedness every time and in every issue. When they are showing stubbornness in these challenging times as from the news coming from all over India about flouting lockdown why it should be hidden from everyone. If they being infected can keep the infection amongst them we would not give a damn, but that will be not the case. Their mentality is since Modi has told them to wash hands after defecating they would say” नही हम तो चाटेंगे”. We all know how they are misbehaving with doctors and specially nurses who are treating them. Why such demonic behavior should not be reported? I congratulate the BJP IT cell for showing us the true face of these demons.
Dear WhatsApp university warrior, most of the news and videos are fake. Satyamevjayate
Even though BJP is short sighted, devoid of economic principles, they are keen on religious fanaticism. So, the opposition should not only to support the Govt but be careful of their parties MP/MLAs defection and stability of their Govts keeping an eye on the BJPs drama. Now, at this critical situation, they are concerned about their part of agenda, fully enjoying the 10% quota relaxing age to forward communities. That will be beneficial to brahmins. But in other community quotas, un filled vacancies are kept in backlocks. So also, the economic packages are mostly not from the exchequer but from bank sources. They are not still opened any packages on research to fight coronavirus. The Govt should immediately organise AYUSH committee for discussion on use of available medicines to control the virus spread, as our country has lot of Siddha like medicine from neem to turmeric even cowdung as antibiotic.
There is some hope left in true journalism with few portals print is one among them who dares to highlight the facts in the interest of country and its people ,this is very difficult job under the present sceenerio, the main media is sold out, this is the defeat of democracy, were all constitutional pillars are gained over or blackmailed by the ruling party there is no constitutional authority Functioning independently they are under tremendous pressure to toe the BJP ideology throwing our constitution into dustbin, our country’s social fabric has been destroyed, the economy has been destroyed completely no future for young generations this has created chaos among the people don’t know what to do, our opposition parties have collapsed to safeguard the constitution, because they did not allow young talents to infuse energy that is the reason this country is paying the price under this autocratic government.
All bloody funded and sponsored by pappu group ??
The Print s top management is requested to undertake the impartial study of its readers profile. Most of them not sloganeering crowd that come out on roads to cheer their leaders who-so -ever brandish or distributes Rs. 500/ notes and bottles produced in factories of Mallyas of India. Most of them are here to read some informative articles on current political happening . They want to listen to both side of every story. They do not need pamphlets of a particular political parties. They immediately understand the road on which a political commentator is plying his automotive. It would be better if you use and employ some non-partisan retired bureaucrats, Professors of imminence ,armed forces veterans to write informed articles.Then you will be able to keep your presence intact. Otherwise Google Baba is their to give readers a big choice . Please write for your readers .Old habits are difficult to change. In the meanwhile, You can increase the share of articles by experts and allow your partisan journalists to enjoy their glasses of whisky for longer hours.
Fact is SM has made MSM irrelevant.All these years MSM has been busy furthering anti Hindu agenda.It has met its match in these IT cells of BJP and other sister organisations.Rather than criticising these cells MSM should introspect about its attitude to Hindu society and Hindu values.
We Indian should learn to live peacefully irrespective of religion, caste or creed or else we will be destroyed by ourself.
The politican or political party are not interested in welfare of the people they only want power for their benefits and you die or you live they are not at all concern.
I dont see many politician in this time of Covid-19 they should had been on the road like other essential services helping specially poor and hungry people.
This is the Clever strategy of the ruling class by circulating fake news where people attention is diverted from the main issues.
It’s true. BJP is full of venom and they only want to spread this hatred and violence towards minorities .
Very rightly Said Mr author of the article. These two gentlemen leading the nation are misleading the whole nation, bhakts are included, I doubt the wellbeing of the Indian populace under the rudder less ship governed by feku navigators.
Lot of sanghies all arround. Good work. Deserves name The print. Ignore them.
The whole article is based on facts. She’s writing about some people romoting urine and shit as cure for viral deseas. There can be logic here too. A cow eats grass and wild plants and drinks water from nullah or gutter and thus ingests billions of various types of microorganisms including viruses. This must be producing antibodies in cow’s body. These must be getting expelled in urine and gobar. What geniuses work in the BJP IT cell. They should also consider dogs, cats, donkeys and ofcourse the humble goats which gives ready made palletised shit easy to use. World Food and water problem solved with gobar and urine.
Many of the above comments have come from people who can write in English, what our indian education is producing – immature minds. No application of logic or ability to view things from different angles or introspection. Fixed view point, we cow urine people are right all others are wrong.