HYDERABAD: Stating that the ongoing elections in the country are being viewed as ‘WhatsApp elections’ by the world, former Information Commissioner, Madabhushi Sridhar contended that the messaging application is being abused by political parties ‘to whip up passions, spread hatred and slander against the Opposition’. He pointed out how some political parties have created booth-level WhatsApp cells for their cadre and ‘cyber armies’, so as to conduct ‘dirty work’ during the elections.
Sridhar was speaking at a seminar organized in the city by Telangana State Union of Working Journalists on ‘Indian Democracy- Elections’. Sridhar pointed out that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) should be made a part of the law with the provision of prosecution against violators. He said politicians were violating the model code without any fear of consequences.
Criticizing the lack of transparency in electoral bonds, he termed them as a form of corruption, in the name of donations. The former information commissioner added that the Bharatiya Janata Party has benefited the most from these bonds.