BJP running several right-wing social media accounts spreading fake news, says Stalin

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday alleged that the BJP operates a large number of right-wing social media accounts spreading “fake news” and half of them are official pages.

Addressing a meeting of DMK’s IT wing functionaries in Chennai, Mr. Stalin said, “When they spread fake news about us, we must immediately respond to them with evidence. If even half of the people who read these posts read your replies, it is still a victory for you.”

Alleging that his political rivals were planning to incite riots in Tamil Nadu by spreading fake news, he said they had been trying to spread fake news for the last five years but were exposed and humiliated.

Urging his party members to be careful against “fake news”, which he described as the party’s first defeated target, Mr Stalin said IT wing officials should respond collectively to such fake news.

Mr. Stalin argued that defamation was a weapon in the hands of DMK’s political opponents and said the party should not only respond to such defamatory posts but also set the agenda.

“We must not only continue to play defense, but also resort to attack every now and then,” Mr. Stalin said, urging officers to use their talents in writing, photo design, creating memes and video clippings for the party’s victory.

Mr. Stalin said the job of IT wing officials was not just to make hashtags trend but also to “set the agenda” because his party was king in content creation. He said DMK is the face of Dravidian movement.

He said that the welfare programs implemented by the DMK government are guiding the entire country and these should be highlighted through social media. He said he would meet the IT officials after the party’s victory in the Assembly elections.

At another event, DMK leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin presided over the weddings of 73 couples organized by his party. He asked them to give Tamil names to their babies.