NEW DELHI: Raising concerns over the misuse of micro-blogging sites in spreading misinformation, the CPI(M) has written to the Election Commission demanding effective mechanism to ensure a level-playing field on the mass media and social media.
The experience in recent times shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party, armed with its money power, enjoys an advantage over all other parties, it said. The CPI (M) said before of the Bihar polls, the BJP had kicked off a virtual campaign by putting up 72,000 LED TV monitors for Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech.
After holding 60 virtual rallies, the BJP has claimed that its poll campaign efforts would involve 9,500 IT cell heads who will coordinate 72,000 WhatsApp groups, of which 50,000 have been formed in the last two months, it said.
“The amount of expenditure that would be involved to put together such manpower for a technology driven system is mind boggling. Even with figures for corporate contributions available in the public domain before the anonymous funding through electoral bonds came into vogue, it was clear that the gap between the BJP and other parties added together in securing corporate election funding has widened manifold.