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Role of social media in Indian politics.

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Essay Contest for UPSC Exam for IAS

The role of social media as a form of media has an important
role to play in Indian politics. The news, views and opinions as preached by the
social media spreads like wild fire. In this way, social media may be considered
as the most convenient and easily accessible form of media. Gone are the days
when information used to disseminate from one place to another by the
traditional forms of media by taking a long period. This was due to the use of
mostly traditional and age-old technology by these forms of media which lacks
in technological innovation.
After the spread of firstly, satellite television and later on
with the advent of IT revolution there has come a sea change in the media
sector. At the same time, it is the bounden duty of the netizens to use social
media in a wise and coherent manner. This is due to the fact that, what media
depicts today becomes a public opinion in the times to come. Therefore, how
we use social media especially in the political arena of the country lies in our
own hands. It is worth pondering in this regard that, the users of social media
must use it in such a way in Indian politics, so that, it does not hurt the emotions
and sentiments of the person or group of persons holding contrary or opposite
views in Indian politics. This may be considered as an important yardstick of
Indian politics as far as use or abuse of social media in our country.
Through the social media we can get information by the
press of a button. At the same time, social media sometimes has the capacity to
spread derogatory, insensitive and in the special context of Indian politics
communal views and opinions. This whole process, can create anarchy and can
malign the atmosphere of the country by creating a situation of communal
violence in the country. The role of social media in such a scenario is very
sensitive. Social media must play the role of being the harbinger of communal
harmony and amity. Here it is worth stating that social media has especially the
role in the context of Indian politics to act as the thread which joins one another
of the country to promote peace and harmony.
The role of social media in this regard is pivotal as via, it
its users need to show wisdom in disseminating news, views and opinions. This
fact is more relevant especially in the context of Indian politics as India is a
multi-religious and cosmopolitan society. Moreover, India is a secular country.
As a result, social media in Indian politics instead of making the fabric of Indian

secularism fragile, rather it must make the domain of Indian secularism more
emboldened and coherent. This fact is important as far as social media and its
role in Indian politics is concerned. This is solely because the bond of social
harmony and religious amity among the Indian citizens is as old as Indian
civilisation itself.
In this regard it must be mentioned here that, during the last
couple of decades it has been observed that, a contrary picture has emerged as
far as the role of social media in Indian politics is concerned. It can certainly be
pinpointed out that the netizens of our country have been swayed away by
emotions as far as disseminating news, views and opinions are concerned. We,
Indians as the citizens of the world’s largest democracy must usher in an era in
Indian politics wherein, we the users of social media use it in such a way that
politics and the political platform of the Indian society remains clean rather then
being becoming anarchists and scandalous.
In a nutshell, social media in the arena of Indian politics
has the capacity to join the hearts of the countrymen. Therefore, the netizens
must be agile and awake so that, via, the use of social media politics and
political activity in the country does not detoriate thereby ushering in its decay.
The role of social media in Indian politics is to use it in such a manner that it
strengthens or, in other words wipe of the feeling of confusion and dis-belief.
The users of social media especially with regard to its role in Indian politics is
to make a judicious use of social media thereby making political views and
opinions more issue and value based. In the special context of Indian politics,
the role of social media is to highlight and propound the age-old political beliefs
and values. It can be rightly concluded that Indian politics is a misnomer
without values. In this regard, the role of social media in Indian politics is
certainly to act as a pathfinder of value-based politics in the country.

-JNANDEEP BORA.

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