India's Social Media-Saavy Leader Executes Women's Day Bluff, Crypto Coins News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned recently of giving up social media.
It turns out he was playing a bluff.
PM Modi’s social media gimmick is backfiring and comes at a sensitive time.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a hugely-followed figure on social media. The leader of the ruling right-wing Hindu nationalist BJP may be averse to press conferences, but he has built up a massive social media following across several platforms. So when PM Modi sent out a cryptic tweet hinting that he may quit social media this Sunday, his followers, critics, and opponents went berserk.

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PM Modi pulls a fast one with his cryptic tweet

Social media went into a frenzy after PM Modi’s tweet. After all, he is the ^{^{th ^{most followed person on Twitter and the third-most-popular politician after former US President Barack Obama and his successor Donald Trump. Modi’s Twitter following of more than 338 million allows him to communicate directly with the world given that he doesn’t address any press conferences.}}}

On Facebook, PM Modi has more than 302 million followers, while his Instagram following is also impressive at over 50 million. So, giving up social media would have been a terrible idea for a leader who enjoys such massive online following. But PM Modi’s critics and opponents did not leave this opportunity to troll him.

Rahul Gandhi, one of PM Modi’s biggest opponents belonging to the Congress Party, sent out a tongue-in-cheek response to the former’s tweet.

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Gandhi’s tweet came in the light of the ongoing riots and protests in Delhi that have claimed the lives of

nearly (people . The city’s police – under the control of Modi’s right-hand man Amit Shah – have been largely ineffective at quelling the violence.

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It took a long time for PM Modi to appeal for peace in India’s capital even as his party members were busy inciting violence through hate speeches .

Gandhi was not the only one to take a dig at PM Narendra Modi. Well-known Indian politician Shashi Tharoor had a far more radical take on the repercussions of Modi’s tweet. He Tweet:

(Source: (Twitter Other netizens also joined in as they did not want to miss this opportunity to troll PM Modi, with some accusing him of trying to divert attention from other critical issues plaguing the country.

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At the same time, there were a few who had an inkling that he may not eventually quit.

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In the end, it did turn out that PM Narendra Modi was indeed bluffing and pulled a fast one on social media users. He followed it up with a tweet clarifying his stand:

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The trolling does not stop

While millions of Modi followers would have heaved a sigh of relief at the PM’s decision, the trolling didn’t stop. He was accused of wasting time on social media gimmicks instead of focusing on actual issues such as the outbreak of the coronavirus strain Covid – This started rearing its head in India.

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Meanwhile, PM Modi’s advertised hashtag – SheInspiresUs – is backfiring as people have started associating the same with women-led protests across the country or journalists critical of the Modi government.

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Some even took a dig at PM Narendra Modi who is known for living away from his wife.

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In all, the reactions to the PM’s latest social media gimmick have been quite entertaining. They have given netizens in India a much-needed break from the negativity arising out of coverage related to riots and communal tensions, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that the

problems on the ground still persist.

(This article was edited by Samburaj Das

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