Open
Forum
New Delhi, 11 February 2021
Propaganda Politics
Age
of Andolan Jeevi
By Dr. S.Saraswathi
(Former Director,
ICSSR, New Delhi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an
attack on “international conspirators” who were out to discredit India by
joining the propaganda against Farm Laws in support of the protesters. Replying to the debate on the President’s
address in Parliament, he referred to Foreign Destructive Ideology (his new
expansion of FDI) from which the country must be saved and spoke about Andolan
Jeevi (professional protesters) who were ready to join any protest.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has tweeted,
“No propaganda can deter India’s unity…Propaganda cannot decide India’s fate,
only progress can. India stands united and together to achieve progress”. The Government is now forcibly drawn to fight
a war against adverse propaganda – a situation developing in recent years and
which has become rather serious ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre
with majority on its own.
A strong suspicion is spreading in the
country over global conspiracy to malign India, this time over the farmers’
protest. A BJP MP gave notice to Lok Sabha Speaker seeking a short-term
discussion after the “toolkit” episode involving climate change teenage
activist, Greta Thunberg tweeted in support of protesting farmers.
Several international environmental activists
joined the tweet-plan to express solidarity with protesting Indian farmers.
Some Western celebrities have circulated comments in support of the agitation which
are dismissed by the MEA as “neither
accurate, nor responsible” with an advice that facts must be ascertained and a
proper understanding of the issues must be undertaken before rushing to comment
on issues. It is clear that comments are part of propaganda warfare which has
no code of conduct or rules of the game.
It is reported in the media that the Special Delhi
Police Commissioner said that the intention of the creators of the toolkit
seems to be “to create disharmony among various social, religious, and cultural
groups and encourage disaffection and ill-will against the Government of India”
and the aim is to wage “social, cultural, and economic war against India”.
Twitter has been asked by the government to
follow its order and remove “inflammatory content” on farmers’ protest or face
jail term and financial penalty. It referred to 257 accounts that had the
hashtag #ModiPlanningFarmerGenocide. Internet suspension was imposed in border
areas where farmer groups assembled after 26 January rally.
The art of propaganda was known since ancient
times. It is dealt with in detail in Chanakya’s Arthashastra.
Use of misinformation and rumours about the enemy is considered a powerful
weapon to demoralise the enemy’s army. Extensive use of propaganda is common in
religious activities for increasing strength by number and/or faith. The material used is not questioned for its
veracity, but accepted as a matter of faith.
Modern propaganda techniques have come in
extensive use in many countries including India aided by social media
platforms. They have grown as powerful weapon for “peacetime” warfare to such
an extent as to tarnish the image of opponents and effectively play divisive
politics in many countries.
Delhi Police is reported to be monitoring many
social media handles pushing hateful, malicious contents in connection with the
farmers’ agitation. It will investigate whether an international conspiracy to
defame the country is working. Tracking false
propaganda is an additional area of investigation for the police.
Chief Justice of India, Sharad A. Bobde,
while hearing a batch of petitions regarding Tablighi Jamat congregation held
during the peak COVID -19 period said that there are broadcasts and programmes
that definitely have the effect of instigating people not just against one
community, but any community. The
Supreme Court expressed a strong view that “control over certain kind of news
which agitate people to violence and riots is a law and order problem. Preventing it is as powerful as putting up
barricades. Preventing instigation is as
important as providing lathis to policemen”.
Riot is like an epidemic that must be fought
before it occurs. Lies and rumours are
its food for growth and potent weapons to disrupt peace and order. Propaganda
politics helps to sharpen these instruments.
The Supreme Court, the chief protector of
rights and freedoms, has to be equally concerned about the damage that false
propaganda, inflammatory speeches, and instigation to violence can cause to
destroy law and order in a society.
Propaganda in politics is selective use of
information for political effect. It is necessarily biased as its purpose is to
influence feelings and actions. Appeal to emotional reaction rather than
rational response being the intention, propaganda invariably clothed in
exaggerations, whether in words or in forms, may offer promises, create fear, divide
people, build false images, and discredit others.
Encyclopedia Britannica defines propaganda as
dissemination of information – facts, arguments, rumours, half-truths or lies –
to influence public opinion. Pre-planning or relatively heavy emphasis on
manipulation distinguishes propaganda from ordinary conversation or free and
easy exchange of ideas. The Encyclopedia further explains that the
“propagandist deliberately selects facts, arguments, and symbols and introduces
them to achieve the greatest effect. To maximize effect, he may miss essential
facts or distort them and may try to divert the audience’s attention from other
sources of information”.
Propaganda politics is at its peak in India
today as a major tool of political parties to win popularity and defame
opponents, and succeed in political manipulations. Parties do not hesitate to do destructive
propaganda in the belief that anything is fair in politics and the end justifies
the means. IT cells in political parties are working in full swing preparing
and disseminating propaganda material. Information Technology Act 2000 contains
some provisions to prohibit misinformation, but laws are not enough.
Repetition of slogans, calling names and twisting
facts are some common tactics in propaganda.
It may appeal to traditions also, make references or quote out of
context, and build artificial images of persons and issues. Propagandists
generally do not bother about contradicting themselves or changing their
positions. They aim at immediate
advantage.
The word “propaganda” immediately raises
memories of Adolf Hitler and his Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda under
Joseph Goebbels. Successful propaganda was the foundation of his rise to power.
It is powerful in psychological warfare and it usually starts as
misinformation. It can cause social destruction besides physical. Usually
associated with bad intentions, propaganda can affect thoughts, emotions, and
actions of the receivers.
Today, almost everybody is exposed to
propaganda hidden in news, and reports.
It has grown to such an extent that very soon we will stop believing
even truth coming through social media. Its techniques are akin to those used
in advertisements and public relations.
The International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights prohibits any propaganda for war or any advocacy of national
or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility,
or violence by law.
Fake news and propaganda have some
similarities, but have differences also. The former is falsehood, but the
latter may contain some truth presented in exaggerated or distorted form with
the purpose of winning friends.
People across the world are now facing the
problem of distinguishing truth and propaganda. “Beware of propaganda, and seek
truth” should be our slogan today.---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
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