Team Herald
PANJIM: While Chai pe charcha and Mann ki baat have been catch phrases, ensconced in the lexicon and the language of electoral politics of India, the real cup of tea for many Goan netas is Facebook. This is followed by Whats App on where the digital version of Man ki baat happens on chat groups.
Thus, when Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel decided to announce her resignation on Facebook, it came as no surprise to a generation of politicians who see ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ quite differently from their counterparts of yesteryears.
Right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj or Home Minister Rajnath Singh, all take to Twitter or Facebook to opine over an issue or announce works carried out by their ministries.
Goan politicians are not far behind. New age ones like South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal and also former chief minister Digambar Kamat are active on the social media.
While the ruling politicians display works carried out or praise the government on issues, the opposition uses the social media to vent their ire on the government.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo says the social media is a new trend and it has made a lot of things easier for the politicians. “Many of my supporters inform me via social media the problems in the constituency and I immediately work on them and once it is done I take the same route to inform them,” he said. He says social media is become a new medium of communication to them.
Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar says the social media is the fastest way of communicating to the people. “In a shortest possible time you can reach maximum amount of people,” he said. He added that it is the good medium of expressing one’s feelings over an issue and publicising work carried out.
South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar says, “A politician too is a citizen. In the present day age the social media has gained importance. It’s a platform to interact, air your opinions etc. It’s an effective an acceptable medium of communication. Therefore, politicians adopting to it is obvious.”
As far as the resignation issue is concerned, he says, “The decision or action might have been informed through social media but its ok. Earlier, it was print, followed by electronic mode and now it’s social media. Ultimately what matters is exchange of ideas for a healthy society and democracy,” he said.
Panjim MLA Siddharth Kunkalienkar feels social media is a medium to reach out to people and get feedback. However, he said, “It should be used positively.”
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, who is a Facebook and Twitter junkie, stated that the social media has redefined how one communicates and connect with another, especially voters. “Transparency has increased as information is passed without any censorship or hiding anything. This is essential in a democracy and we have seen social media play an active role in revolutions across the world,” he said. On Anandiben’s resignation announcement on social media, he said “it points out how comfortable she is interacting with the voters, perhaps much more than the dictatorial set up within her party.”
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai says, “Of course, social media is trending among young politicians, who realise its power as a totally democratic, swift and nimble tool.” He adds, “Facebook, and Twitter, have a considerable following among young voters and though social media has not replaced the traditional media, we see many instances of the social media breaking news which are then nursed by the print and electronic media. In Goa, where many sections of the traditional media are pressurised by the ruling dispensation, we may have to resort to live feeds and posts on social media to keep people abreast of political happenings from an unbiased perspective. Social media is definitely here to stay and its share will keep growing in the years to come,” he adds.
