BJP and IT Cell: Crafting Narratives to Consolidate Power

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s ruling political party, has leveraged its Information Technology (IT) Cell to master the art of narrative building and propaganda, significantly bolstering its electoral dominance.

 

Led by Amit Malviya since 2015, the BJP IT Cell has transformed political communication in India by harnessing social media platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter (now X), and Facebook to shape public opinion, mobilize voters, and counter opposition narratives. With an estimated network of 5 million WhatsApp groups and thousands of coordinated accounts, the IT Cell has become a formidable force in digital propaganda, often accused of spreading misinformation to reinforce the party’s Hindu nationalist agenda.

The BJP IT Cell operates with a hierarchical structure, ensuring rapid dissemination of tailored content. Daily directives from the party’s Delhi headquarters cascade to regional and local levels, enabling synchronized messaging. For instance, in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, over 400 WhatsApp groups are managed by BJP-affiliated administrators to push campaign narratives. This infrastructure allows information to reach any part of India within 12 minutes, according to party leaders. The 2024 “Modi Ka Parivar” campaign exemplifies this efficiency, where a minute-long video claiming India’s 1.4 billion people as Modi’s family went viral, amplifying the prime minister’s personal appeal.

The IT Cell’s effectiveness lies in its ability to craft emotionally charged narratives that resonate with voters. During the 2019 elections, dubbed the “WhatsApp election,” the BJP used memes, videos, and localized content to flood digital spaces with pro-Modi messaging. The campaign capitalized on nationalist sentiments post-Balakot air strikes, drowning out discussions on unemployment and economic issues. The IT Cell’s use of 200,000–300,000 WhatsApp groups and 18,000 fake Twitter handles ensured that positive narratives about Modi and Hindutva dominated, while opposition voices were marginalized.

However, the IT Cell’s tactics have drawn criticism for spreading disinformation. In 2020, Amit Malviya tweeted a manipulated video alleging anti-CAA protesters in Lucknow raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans, a claim debunked by fact-checkers. Twitter flagged another of Malviya’s posts during the 2020 farmers’ protests as “manipulated media” for falsely claiming security personnel did not harm protesters. These incidents highlight the IT Cell’s strategy of using doctored content to discredit dissent and polarize voters.

The 2024 elections further showcased the IT Cell’s prowess. A deep-fake video of Home Minister Amit Shah purportedly discussing abolishing reservations went viral in Uttar Pradesh, impacting the BJP’s electoral performance. While the party denied involvement, the incident underscored the IT Cell’s ability to weaponize AI-driven propaganda. Additionally, the IT Cell’s use of Islamophobic narratives, such as “Vote Jihad” claims against Muslim voters, was documented 54 times in March–April 2024, fueling communal tensions to consolidate Hindu votes.

Critics argue that the IT Cell’s tactics undermine democratic discourse. Former members have revealed how the Cell targets minorities and dissenters, with one ex-volunteer noting its comfort with “spreading disinformation and targeting people’s faiths.” Despite these concerns, the BJP’s digital dominance—120 pro-BJP accounts for every pro-Congress one—ensures its narratives overshadow rivals, securing its grip on power.

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