Trollers have not taken kindly to the district police’s new series of advice on its Facebook page on how to ward off COVID-19 threat and stay safe. They are not digressive or inflammatory, though.
During polls
“Where were you at the time of elections..?” now dominates the list of satirical queries that the trollers raised.
Though the biting comments are often countered with witty replies, the policemen behind the awareness social media posters are grappling with the situation to prove their point with justifications, arguments, and claims.
The cops post matching memes to fend off the virtual teasing.
“To be frank, the corona virus was on leave during election time. It may go on leave again on May 2,” said one of the active trollers who posted his satiric notes on the Kozhikode City Police page. Another critic claims that the police have been showing a subservient attitude in enforcing the COVID protocol for politicians. He also feels that the fine for protocol violation is only an annoyance for the public.
A majority of the commentators are of the view that the police have “miserably failed” to monitor the COVID-19 situation despite frequent warnings issued by the Health Department authorities and medical experts. The enforcement squads have been forgetful of the risky atmosphere throughout the election time, which can never be compensated with a delayed action, they argue.
Citizens’ responsibility
At the same time, the policemen who monitor the Facebook page are of the view that responsible citizens will voluntarily cooperate with the guidelines and ensure their safety considering the more demanding situation. People who do not care about personal responsibilities but call upon the police to do everything are living in fools’ paradise, they remark.
Officials who are part of the social media awareness campaigns of the police in the city also point out that they take all comments positively and give friendly replies to maximum number of people to foster a healthy online interaction. The biggest advantage of trolls is that it kindles heated discussions and draws the attention of more people to the original message, they observe.