CHENNAI: BJP has drawn up a nationwide campaign to counter opposition protests over electoral roll revision and what it calls misinformation, according to an internal party document.The first phase of the campaign, which was to start on Oct 22, will run until Nov 5. Being undertaken at the direction of BJP national president Nitin Nabin, the ‘Loktantra bachao, bheedtantra hatao’ (Save democracy, remove mobocracy) campaign will focus on raising public awareness about Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, voter list accuracy and constitutional processes. Programmes include targeted interactions with youth, marches, press conferences, public meetings, intellectual discussions and social media drives.“Following Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of a long-running campaign against Election Commission and the BJP govt, opposition parties have been spreading misinformation to undermine public trust in institutions,” the document said. Opposition, “driven by insatiable hunger for power”, has supported infiltration and placed political interests above national interests, it said.The party plans to expose “contradictory positions” adopted by opposition parties on electoral rolls when in govt and in opposition. It will also seek to explain EC’s procedures and present BJP’s position on the SIR exercise.The party plans to organise 2,000 meetings targeting nearly 10 lakh youngsters. Functionaries have been asked to mobilise at least 10,000 people for district-level marches. Banners, placards and speeches will focus on opposition’s “support for anti-national forces, illegal infiltration and its continued opposition to the govt’s pro-development measures”.The party is putting together a nationwide and state-level media strategy. ‘Rashtriya chintan samvads’ (intellectual political discussions) in every assembly constituency between Oct 23 and 31 is expected to involve around 200 invitees, including lawyers, academics, social workers, business representatives, teachers, professionals and prominent residents.Separate programmes for young people and students have been proposed under the theme “Democracy vs Mobocracy”. Debates, question-and-answer sessions, essay competitions and social media activities will form part of the programme. Social media influencers, cultural figures and other opinion makers will participate. The party also plans to distribute pamphlets and handbooks explaining the electoral roll revision process.(With inputsfrom agencies)
