Archive · 23 Aug 2026
BJP Turns to Social Media as Youth Support Wavers
The Indian government asked ministers to show how well they use social media.
They were judged by things such as posts, likes, followers and conversations with the public.
This happened after young people protested alleged problems with competitive exams.
The government wants to connect better with younger people online.
It tried using younger lawmakers, internet slang and short videos from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Many people mocked these efforts instead of finding them convincing.
Critics worry that ministers may focus on making videos rather than solving important problems.
The article also discusses questions about unused money in the PM CARES fund and changes inside the BJP.
It says investors have also become less confident about Indian stocks.
Union ministers were ranked on social-media activity from May 1 to August 15, including posting frequency, engagement, followers and public interactions.
The evaluation followed nationwide youth protests over alleged irregularities in competitive exams and instructions for ministers to expand their online presence.
Critics said prioritising likes, videos and online engagement could encourage propaganda while distracting ministers from governance.
The BJP also used younger MPs, Gen Z slang and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late-night vertical videos to reach younger audiences, but the efforts were mocked online.
Related developments included BJP leadership changes, limited PM CARES spending and a Bank of America survey ranking Indian stocks as Asia’s least-preferred market.
- Who
- Union ministers, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are the main actors; young protesters and critics are also central to the account.
- What
- The government and BJP are revising their social-media and publicity strategy after youth protests and criticism of their messaging.
- When
- Ministers were assessed at a Wednesday Cabinet meeting for activity between May 1 and August 15; related outreach efforts occurred in July.
- Where
- The assessment concerned activity on Instagram, X and Facebook in India.
- Why
- The BJP-led government appears concerned that its messaging is no longer reaching young people effectively, particularly after protests over alleged competitive-exam irregularities.
Critics and Skeptics
BJP-Led Outreach Strategy
Social-media performance versus governance
Critics and Skeptics
Critics argue that ranking ministers by online activity privileges propaganda, likes and vertical videos over governing responsibilities.
BJP-Led Outreach Strategy
The government’s approach treats stronger social-media activity and public interaction as necessary tools for communicating with citizens, especially younger audiences.
Youth-focused messaging
Critics and Skeptics
Online users mocked younger MPs’ use of Gen Z slang and Narendra Modi’s vertical videos, suggesting the attempts appeared forced or ineffective.
BJP-Led Outreach Strategy
The BJP has responded to youth protests and changing media habits by deploying younger MPs, using youth-oriented language and producing Instagram-friendly videos.
PM CARES fund holdings
Critics and Skeptics
Opposition parties and social activist Anjali Bhardwaj have raised concerns about the fund’s transparency and the fact that most available money was held in fixed deposits.
BJP-Led Outreach Strategy
The fund was created as a dedicated national reserve for emergencies or distress, and its statements reported the corpus, receipts and expenditure cited in the article.
- Assessment period
- May 1 to August 15
- Evaluation criteria
- Posts per day, engagement per post, likes, followers and public interactions
- PM CARES corpus
- Rs 8,452 crore at the end of financial year 2024-25
- PM CARES spending
- Rs 87.8 lakh was reported as spent, mainly on the PM CARES for Children Scheme
- PM CARES inflows
- More than Rs 1,270 crore came from donations, deposit interest and refunds during the financial year
- BJP organisational changes
- Smriti Irani became a national general secretary, Amit Malviya left the social-media chief post and Ram Madhav became a vice president
- Investor sentiment
- A Bank of America survey reported that India had replaced Indonesia as Asia’s least-preferred stock market