Thread by @gauravsabnis

"prof small suggestion. Instead of 'BJP will lose Gujarat' how about #BJPwillLose Gujarat. Then we can trend that hashtag for different elections. Trends drive TV news."

Brilliantly useful. See, this is useful resistance even in the smallest way. This is how to not be useless.

#BJPwillLose Gujarat.

#BJPwillLose Karnataka

#BJPwillLose MAHARASHTRA

#BJPwillLose

It's 2022 not 2009.

Back then, social media was a fringe factor in Indian politics.

Today, Twitter is where BJP starts its propaganda, which then is picked up by Godi media, and then hammered into households & communities through Whatsapp networks & street intimidation.

So people think like it's still 2009 and think oh only 20 million active Indian Twitter users out of 1.4 billion, so it must be fringe.

But by 2022, you should know better.

99% Indians might not be on Twitter, but Twitter trends still affect their lives cos of BJP strategy.

I'm NOT saying influencing Twitter trends will definitely defeat the BJP.

I'm saying that NOT influencing Twitter trends ensures that the BJP won't lose.

And I'm saying smarter Twitter posting can definitely at least hurt the BJP and help the resistance.

We start trending #BJPwillLose regularly and it will definitely have some effect, even if that by itself might not be decisive. But incumbents are dislodged with a collection of many such small efforts. That is exactly how the BJP captured power after 2009 humiliation.

Terms like l0vej1had, urb@nnax@l, p@ppu, "mer@wala Abdul", tukde etc ALL started as Twitter trends, then picked up by Godi media, then amplified nationwide.

Recognize the role Twitter plays in 2022 for fascists.

It isn't 2009 anymore. Your tweets have real impact.

Take this pledge:

"I am NOT a pollster or political consultant or news anchor so I do NOT have to recognize BJP's electoral dominance. I will never post anything on social media even remotely positive about BJP's electoral prospects, but will everyday post #BJPwillLose."