Group of Ministers spells out steps to ‘neutralise’ negative narrative against Government

In an effort to “neutralise” the negative narrative, a Group of Ministers (GoM) of the Union authorities, shaped to fine-tune the “government communication”, has come out with numerous solutions, together with monitoring “50 negative and 50 positive influencers” on the social media and to “neutralise the people who are writing against the Government without facts and set false narratives / spread fake news”.

Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, Information and Broadcasting (I&B)Minister Prakash Javadekar, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur and MoS within the Environment Ministry Babul Supriyo had been half of the GoM, which met six occasions between June 14 and July 9 final 12 months.

It emerges that the selections on capping 26% of the FDI (overseas direct funding) for the digital media and the brand new IT guidelines which have a separate part coping with code of ethics for the Over The Top (OTT) platforms equivalent to Netflix had been outcome of the GoM’s deliberations. The FDI cap was important the GoM felt, to constrict the overseas affect on the Indian media.

The GoM report quotes solutions made by numerous ministers.

Prasad for getting ready listing

Mr. Prasad, urged, “A list of media personnel and prominent persons, who are pro our line of thought – both nationally and globally, should be prepared. Few eminent academicians, Vice Chancellors, retired Indian Foreign Service officers etc should be identified who can write our achievements and project our viewpoint.”

Ms. Irani, who held the I&B portfolio within the earlier Modi authorities, really helpful, “We should track 50 negative and 50 positive influencers.” The suggestion has been accepted by the GoM and the I&B Ministry has been given the cost to implement it.

Mr. Javadekar felt that the federal government general ought to be taught from Prime Minister Modi to talk with the frequent man. On the negative narrative, he mentioned, “The narrative is fuelled by around 20-30 people. The lines keep changing many times on a single day.”

Naqvi for direct motion

Mr. Naqvi urged direct motion against these writing against the federal government. “We should have a strategy to neutralise the people who are writing against the Government without facts and set false narratives / spread fake news,” he had suggested.

Among different motion factors really helpful by the GoM embody enlarging the Prasar Bharati News Service right into a “main line news agency”. Among the long- time period agreed methods embody “coordination with schools of journalism as present students are the future journalists.”

Mr. Puri informed the GoM that the journalists who’re supportive of the federal government, even when they’re now unemployed, needs to be roped in. As per the report, this suggestion would even be acted upon.

Mr. Thakur wished the BJP and the Modi authorities to attain out to right-wing events internationally to arrive at a typical floor.