In a cryptic tweet on Monday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is considering “giving up” his accounts on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube on Sunday, 8 March. “Will keep you all posted,” the tweet said.
This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Will keep you all posted.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 2, 2020
CNN-News18 reported that the move could be in preparation for a campaign by the Centre for International Women’s Day, which also happens to fall on 8 March. However, the report quoted sources in the Prime Minister’s Office as saying that more information will be disseminated in due course.
The prime minister’s decision to leave social media comes days after a spate of violence gripped northeast Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and led to the deaths of at least 47 people. Modi has 53.3 million followers on Twitter, 44 million followers on Facebook, and 35.2 million followers on Instagram. In September 2019, Modi was the third most followed world leader on the microblogging site, behind only US president Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama.
Modi was the first Indian to cross the 50-million followers mark on Twitter. Reactions to Modi’s announcement ranged from hoping that the prime minister’s social media ‘detox’ will lead to press conferences, to Twitter users taking a jibe at Modi’s supporters who add ‘followed by Narendra Modi’ to their descriptions. In the past, Modi has been criticised for following accounts that post incendiary content. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Modi should “give up hatred” and also encourage the “army of trolls” who intimidate people “in Modi’s name.
Give up hatred, not social media accounts. pic.twitter.com/HDymHw2VrB
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 2, 2020
Respected Modi ji,
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 2, 2020
Earnestly wish you would give this advise to the concerted army of trolls, who abuse-intimidate-badger-threaten others every second in you name!
Sincere Regards,
Citizens of India. https://t.co/hGtf64Fyf9
That’s fantastic, Sir! At last you will do press conferences.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) March 2, 2020
We are waiting for you with bated breath to take questions. https://t.co/w76kJx8cuc
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PM tweets: may quit social media, including twitter. My suggestion: @narendramodi ji don’t quit, we like to hear from you, but please do quit following those who are using the medium to spread hate and fake news. That would truly be a step forward.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 2, 2020
What will happen to all the “Blessed to be followed by Narendra Modi” gang?
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) March 2, 2020
Sad all those “blessed” to be followed by PM Modi will lose the lodestar if Modi actually leaves SM
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) March 2, 2020