BJP chief Amit Shah sends out list on how to counter negative news, views

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The blueprint outlined in the letter sent last month is in tandem with the BJP-led Central government’s drive — first reported by The Sunday Express on August 30 — to set up quick response teams of experts to counter what is perceived as negative news in the media.

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Party sources said the leadership has been worried about the “campaign” against it in the mainstream and social media.

And Shah’s letter suggests that measures should be taken to ensure that public debate is favourable to the party position.

READ: Govt plans to set up teams of experts to quickly react to ‘negative news’

In the letter, Shah writes that he wants the party to monitor media constantly, prepare and distribute talking points, ensure that its spokespersons in TV debates are able to question points made against the party, and get articles that portray the government and party favourably published in newspapers and magazines.

“The party should publicise the good work of its governments through research and documentation and negative news on the government policies and programs should be documented,” the letter states.

Shah also wants BJP leaders to be in constant touch with editors, journalists, columnists and foreign correspondents. The department dealing with overseas affairs should “organise interaction with diplomats of different countries and ensure that the right image of the party is projected through them”, the letter states.
Besides, Shah has asked the party’s research wing to analyse similarities and differences in the policies of state governments and prepare documents on important issues on the basis of party ideology.

The party chief also wants to ensure that a detailed history of BJP is documented and preserved. In the letter, he has directed that the functioning the party’s library in its Delhi headquarters be streamlined so that it is able to document programmes held at the mandal-level to district-level, store photos of all party leaders and programmes, and digitalise documents.

With the BJP is running an intense training program for its 15 lakh active members as a part of its membership campaign, the party chief has asked leaders to collect and study the training material of various ideologies.

Finally, to protect the party’s image, Shah has asked the party to exert a “strong influence” on social media.

“Prepare tips to see that there is positive campaign about the party in the social media and counter the negative campaign effectively. Respond to those who are lenient to party and those who are in debates with party through social media and ensure that the followers of the party leaders are increased,” the letter states.

With the Bihar elections around the corner, the party and the Central government have been on the backfoot this year with agitations related to the land acquisition bill, One Rank One Pension for ex-servicemen and reservation for Patels dominating public debate, apart from controversies surrounding senior leaders such as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje.