With the State elections nearing, the Trinamool Congress on Thursday launched a youth-led online campaign in West Bengal to counter what it called “attempts of vindictive, anti-Bengal propaganda” being pushed by outsiders to protect the State’s truth and uphold its identity. Called Ami Banglar Digital Joddha (I am Bengal’s digital warrior), the campaign gave a call to the youth of the state “who refuses to let Bengal be slandered”, to join forces and “strengthen Bengal’s future’ and “let the world witness what Bengal can achieve when its people rise as one.”
Announcing the launch, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in an apparent reference to the BJP but without naming any party, wrote on social media platforms: “Bengal, our beloved motherland, is being hounded, humiliated, maligned, and vilified by Bohiragoto Bangla-Birodhi Zamindars who thrive on lies and propaganda, increasingly in the digital space where the battle now rages.” “It is upon us to stand up for Bengal’s rights, dignity, and truth, to fight back with clarity and conviction. That’s why I am launching ‘Ami Banglar Digital Joddha’, a people-powered, youth-led digital movement to protect Bengal’s identity, uphold its truth, and carry its message of pride and progress to every corner of India and the world,” he continued.
A concept note on the campaign outlined its objective and a registration process for interested citizens and stated that the initiative aimed at engaging and on-boarding ‘Digital Joddhas’ in three categories: content creators, social media managers and digital amplifiers. Underscoring Bengal’s past contributions to the nation’s intellectual, cultural, political, social and spiritual domains, the note stated, “Yet today, external forces, driven by vested political interests, are attempting to distort our story, silence our voice, undermine our pride and question our very existence. The time to respond is now.”
“Political battles are fought not just on the streets or in the Parliament, but increasingly in the digital space, where Bangla-Birodhis are resorting to lies and propaganda to malign and tarnish our state,” the note added. The so-called digital warriors would “nurture and protect the idea of this great land and carry its message to every corner of the country and the world”, the note explained.
