The 2024 Lok Sabha election in the country has ended. The last phase of voting concluded on 1st June and the results are scheduled to be announced on 4th June. All exit polls have consistently indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance is set to return for a historic third term. Many political analysts are likewise making similar assertions. However, a group is fostering a different atmosphere in opposition to the ground reality.
Popular election strategist Prashant Kishore has also addressed the same issue on X (previously Twitter). Kishore has been facing attacks from the opposition alliance for predicting that Modi will become PM for the third term.
He wrote, “The next time politics and elections are being discussed, save your precious time and stop wasting it on pointless debates and analyses by indolent pretend journalists, blustery politicians and self-described social media experts.” He made reference to those alleged election experts who, in the absence of understanding of the ground realities, are reluctant to recognize the public’s mandate.
अगली बार चुनाव और राजनीति की बात हो तो अपना क़ीमती वक़्त ख़ाली बैठे फ़र्ज़ी पत्रकार, बड़बोले नेताओं और Social Media के स्वयंभू विशेषज्ञों की फ़िज़ूल की बातों और विश्लेषण पर बर्बाद मत करिए।🙏🏼🙏🏼
— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) June 1, 2024
Prashant Kishor had stated in previous interviews that the BJP-led NDA is again forming the government at the centre. Furthermore, he mentioned that BJP will win more seats than it did in the 2019 general election. He noted that the I.N.D.I. Alliance, headed by the Congress party, had participated in this election out of formality. The opposition failed to provide an alternative to the people.
He faced intense trolling by the opposition and its entire ecosystem due to these statements and a social media campaign was launched after his remarks. He was claimed to be close to the BJP. However, the exit polls are available now and according to most surveys, the NDA is anticipated to win more than 350 seats and a few are even showing it secure over 400 seats after which Prashant Kishore’s assertion is proving to be right but his comments have further implications.
YouTubers make money off of deception
Despite the obvious signs that the NDA is regaining power, certain former journalists and YouTubers are persistently disseminating the propaganda of opposition parties including Congress on the social media platform. Opposing the BJP and PM Modi is the foundation of their entire content. These channels, which have millions of subscribers, not only provide false information but also absurd analysis. Their entire focus is on portraying that, in contrast to the BJP, whose success poses a threat to democracy and is a result of electoral malpractice, the opposition’s victory in polls is an expression of its electoral acumen and popular will.
These channels put thumbnails like ‘BJP is trapped’, ‘something significant is happening’, ‘Congress turned the game around’ and ‘Kharge/Rahul said this’ on their videos throughout the day. The whole point is to show that the people are electing the Congress and that the BJP will lose the election. However, it is completely opposite to the truth, these YouTubers rely on it as their primary source of revenue.
They, in reality, are meeting the demands of a specific kind of client. They run shops which serve biased content in the name of journalism. This should be more appropriately referred to as “political porn.” Similar to porn, a consumer makes his decision and the market satisfies his desires. Likewise, a select few patrons are delivered the content of their choice by these stores.
They have a significant advantage in that one could be considered an impartial journalist in the country if he or she consistently disagrees with the administration, both rationally and irrationally. Many supporters of the opposition parties look at them in the hopes that perhaps their argument will hold water and Congress or any other party would come to power. Its primary benefit, aside from this, is financial.
Most of the people running YouTube channels on political reportage are former journalists. They used to work for reputable organizations but were forced to flee to YouTube after their propaganda failed there. These YouTubers are filling their pockets by making YouTube channels and providing bogus news and commentary of their choice.
Loss to the common man
Even though these YouTubers are making a lot of money by promoting a partial narrative, people who enjoy watching their videos are wasting their time. Viewers of these videos are only listening to propaganda and half-baked political knowledge. Their content serves as a source of frustration for their supporters while the Youtubers live lavishly and fly abroad with their massive earnings. They have to face reality when they apply their incomplete information in society.
Read the report in Hindi here.
