The Trinamool Congress has decided to set up a cyber cell comprising 40,000 members to counter the BJP on social media.
Party sources said the decision was taken during the TMC’s Social Media Conclave in Kolkata on Wednesday.
A senior Trinamool leader involved with the party’s social media operations revealed that during the conclave the TMC leadership emphasised “identifying and exposing fake news and videos” spread through social media.
The conclave was attended by 248 members of the newly-formed cyber cell’s core committee. The cyber cell is under direct supervision of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Professional help
“During the conclave, IT professionals explained to our workers selected for social media operations how fake news and videos are spread by the BJP to polarise people. The experts also spoke about the techniques of identifying and exposing fake news and videos,” the TMC leader told The Hindu.
He said the use of software to distort images and the process of identifying such “fake photographs” were also explained to the workers.
The TMC sources revealed that one of the key objectives of the cyber cell will be to monitor the “comments of BJP leaders and expose them if they resort to falsehood”.
Messaging platforms
Apart from social networking sites, the TMC’s cyber cell is also planning to take on the BJP’s IT cell on various instant messaging platforms. “Our aim is to set up 10,000 WhatsApp groups to promote the developmental activities of Mamata Banerjee and reach out to at least 2.5 crore people through these groups,” the TMC leader said.
“We want to reach out digitally to people even in the far-flung corners of the State and make them aware of the TMC government’s commitment to development,” Diptangshu Chowdhury, joint convener of TMC’s cyber cell, said. He had joined the party after quitting the BJP in December last year.
The impact of “fake news, trolling and viral social media posts” were also discussed during the conclave, the TMC leader said.
The party sources revealed that during the conclave Trinamool MP and spokesperson Derek O’Brien cited the example of Ms. Banerjee’s prompt reaction against demonetisation on a microblogging site.
“The decision of demonetisation was announced at around 8.25 p.m. and Mamata Banerjee tweeted on demonetisation at 9.42 p.m. while other political parties were busy holding meetings. If we have to be Didi’s soldiers, then we have to be alert,” Mr. O’Brien was quoted by the TMC leader.
Another party leader, however, indicated that the party “cannot match the BJP in resources” in any area, including the setting up of a cyber cell.