Modi Leaving Social Media? Twitter Users Have Better Ideas For Him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night tweeted that he was considering giving up his social media accounts and sent this supporters into a frenzy.

On Tuesday morning, Modi’s tweet had over 43,000 retweets as followers and supporters urged him to not to quit, with ‘No Sir’ and #NoModiNoTwitter trending on Twitter.

Glancing through Modi’s recent tweets, you would be forgiven for missing the the prime minister’s appeal for “peace and harmony” in the capital which witnessed riots that killed at least 46 people last week.

The riots are said to be the worst Delhi has seen since the Anti-Sikh pogrom in 1984. Victims of the violence and opposition politicians have blamed BJP leaders, particularly Kapil Mishra, for instigating it with hate speech. 

So, not everyone thought it was a bad idea for Modi to quit social media, which has become a breeding ground for abuse and hate speech.

The nearly 2,300 people Modi follows on Twitter include trolls who spew abuse online. (See here and here )

The BJP’s IT cell, which is frequently used to spread propaganda online, has been called “Frankenstein’s monster ,” by the man who set it up in 2007.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to Modi’s tweet asking him to give up hate and found support in Digvijaya Singh who said BJP’s entire social media team should quit.

But several Twitter users had other ideas for what the prime minister should be giving up entirely.

Take a look:

Modi’s tweet did include the caveat “this Sunday” and it is likely a gimmick for Women’s Day on March 8.

Nevertheless, there were a few memes out to console distraught bhakts.

Update: He’s handing it over to “women whose life & work inspire us” for Women’s Day.