BHUBANESWAR: Misinformation is the greatest enemy of social harmony, BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik said while urging student activists of his party to fight against any misinformation being spread on the social media.
Addressing the executive committee meeting of Biju Chatra Janata Dal (BCJD), the students’ wing of the ruling party, on Wednesday, Naveen said, “Misinformation will destroy a society if people are not alert.”
“As you know, this is the age of digital and social media. Social media is very influential and its impact is being felt on every sphere of life. But, nowadays, social media channels are flooded with misinformation. Many a times, the information that comes on the social media and even on the mainstream media is not true. Thus, you have to fight against such misinformation,” Naveen added.
The chief minister’s advice is aimed at sharpening the party’s social media strategy, which is crucial for political parties to reach out to the masses. Hailing the student activists as the drivers of Odisha’s transformation, the chief minister said they could take ahead Odia pride.
The BJD president also advised the students to stress on three important aspects — working hard to create a special identity, not forgetting one’s duty towards family and using the inner potential for the development of the society they have grown up in.
Naveen, who recently spoke on the unique identity of Odisha during the youth executive committee meeting of the regional party, also invoked Odia pride at BCJD meet by reiterating the greatness of the Odia community that had once conquered land from the Ganga to the Godavari. He mentioned emperors Kharavel, Kapilendradev and Purushottamdev.
The chief minister also hailed the bravery and valour of the Paika heroes that had kept Odisha unconquered for long. He also reminded the students of Odia legends like Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, Utkal Gaurab Madhu Babu, Bakshi Jagabandhu, Veer Surendra Sai, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Bhima Bhoi, Rama Devi, Malati Choudhury and Parbati Giri. The students’ wing of the ruling party also discussed the political programmes to be carried out in the next few months.