Daily Times

Today, the world is faced with the advent of politics of ‘The Right Wing’. Politicians who talk of division, discrimination and giving preferential treatment to people belonging to a particular race, religion and colour are becoming popular across the globe. In India, Narendar Modi’s ascendance to the Asthan of Prime Minister is part of same Right wing politics, as was manifest from his contentious slogans during his election campaign. Since the start of his era, minorities sensedperilous in the country when people of a specific class of Hindus were given free hand to re-establish the grandeurs of Hindutva – long forgotten to India’s secular outlook.

Interestingly, president of United States Donald Trump also came to power by hoisting the same flag of hatred and racism. However, the glaring difference between both cases is that in United States the decriers of Trump are increasing day by day, while in India the dissidents are diminishing with the passing days. Media in United States is taking on Trump on every divisive policy. On contrary, Indian Media doesn’t have such privilege due to a hidden weapon of Modi which is used against anyone who dares point a finger against his policies. This weapon is named ‘Troll Army of Modi’. This army is consisted of social Media warriors, who are marauding Facebook and Twitter to sling mud on the character of a person who censures Modi and his policies. This much is the difference between United States and India of freedom of expression that last month renowned Hollywood actress Meryl Streep bashed Trump –without taking his name – while taking her life time achievement award at a ceremony. On the other hand in India, Teesta Setalvad, who is working for rehabilitation of victims of deadly riots of 2002 in Gujarat and who holds Modi responsible for those riots, is facing false prosecution by CBI. Another brave name Ra’ana Ayub, who wrote a book ‘Gujrat files’ to show the dirty role of police and politicians during these riots is also facing the fury of BJP supporters.

As of Troll Army’s scope and structure, Swathi Chaturvedi’s book ‘I am a Troll’ reveals how BJP and Modi have employed thousands of educated youngsters to form Troll Army to gag their political opponents. Their duties involve harassing and giving threats of rape to female critics on social Media. This army seemed more at work when BJP faced clean sweep in Delhi last year against Kejriwal’s AAM ADMI PARTY. He has not been allowed to work and false scandals were waiting for him after taking the charge as Chief Minister.  No stone was left unturned by this army in belittling his character. Similarly, west Bengal’s CM Mumta Banarjee also faced the wrath of Troll Army when she grilled Modi over the failure of his Demonetization scheme. From politicians like Rahul Gandhi to journalist and writers like Swathi Chaturvedi, there’s a long list of people who are targeted by Troll Army.

It seems that BJP is ready to transcend traditional boundaries of politics to tighten its stranglehold around its detractors even if it involves risking the secular fabric ofIndia. To assess how much patronage is provided to these dirty trolls by higher echelons of BJP, visiting Twitter profile of Modi will suffice. He has millions of followers on Twitter but of 1500 people he’s following almost 200 are these troll accounts.