Social media is being misused by trolls who post and spread false messages without fact-checking and the complete lack of control has been proven once again in the case of Jana Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Pawan Kalyan.
Throughout Monday, YSR Congress social media activists spread video clips targeting Pawan Kalyan.
The video, which has apparently been taken out of context from the Deputy Chief Minister’s longer message, shows him urging the nation to celebrate ‘Gana Tantra Dinotsavam’ (Republic Day) on August 15 (Independence Day).
“August 15 will be renamed Pawan Kalyan Independence Day as Republic Day,” a message went viral on social media on Monday.
This led to trolling against Pawan and he also had his supporters.
“The man who once claimed that the light bulb was invented by Einstein is the same man who is suggesting that August 15 should be celebrated as Republic Day across India instead of Independence Day,” commented one netizen.
“Independence day = Ganatantra dinotsavam. I’m just a teaser matrame um 5 years full content istadu,” said another troll.
“Ided jayanti, vardanti ke ra unde..Inni pustakaalu chadivina ayyagaari gnanam idenaa?” Is 26th January Yalputad in Mali? (This seems to be confusing birth anniversary with death anniversary. Is this gentleman’s knowledge gained from reading a lot of books? What does he celebrate on 26th January?” asked another social media follower.
“Meanwhile, a meme page from August 15 reads, ‘Happy Republic Day everyone, Jai Hind,'” another person said.
However, other netizens came to Pawan’s defence.
“Pawan Kalyan’s initiative is good. He has proposed to make the fund allocation for Independence Day and Republic Day Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000. Earlier it was Rs 150 and Rs 250. Why are you cutting some and trying to teach the people wrong? If you do not support Pawan Kalyan, then sit back,” he suggested.
In fact, Pawan Kalyan had not confused I-Day with R-Day. In the full video of the deputy chief minister released by the Jana Sena Party, he is seen mentioning August 15 and January 26 separately several times with regard to payment of money to gram panchayats.
On one particular occasion, he did mention August 15th and Gana Tantra Dinotsavam together, but he was clearly describing these as two separate events where increased funds were provided to the panchayats.
However, trolls seized on his reference to the two events not long after and created the impression that he was asking the nation to observe War Memorial Day on the occasion.