Amit Shah joins 1,800 WhatsApp groups to ‘stem fake news’

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP has formed hundreds of WhatsApp groups with its national president Amit Shah as a member in each of them to provide “direct information” and stem fake news.

In the run-up to the 2019 general elections, BJP’s Delhi unit leaders are revising teams at the mandal level and bringing party office bearers and workers onto various social media platforms, including WhatsApp.

“We are trying to bring all the party office bearers and workers on social media platforms. So far, over 1800 WhatsApp groups have been formed and the number is increasing. The move is aimed to provide direct information and stem fake news,” said Neelkant Bakshi, the head (media relations) and co-incharge of Delhi BJP’s social media unit.

Each WhatsApp group will have the contact numbers of Mr Shah and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, he said.

In a meeting last month, Mr Shah had cautioned social media savvy workers and his party leaders against posting fake news and spreading false messages on social media platforms, saying it hurts the party’s credibility.

The WhatsApp groups formed by the Delhi BJP will go a long way to ensure that the party’s directions and assignments are being undertaken sincerely by its office bearers and workers, Mr Bakshi said.

The party has also planned social media meets to be held at district and mandal levels in the coming months to spread the messages of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the achievements of the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said.

The focus will be to reach out to the younger generation that depends more on social media for information and news than traditional sources like newspapers and television channels, he added.

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