Indian expatriates residing in the United Arab Emirates, as well as individuals from diverse nationalities such as Emiratis, Britons, and Pakistanis, were surprised to receive a WhatsApp message from the ‘Viksit Bharat Sampark’ account. This message sought feedback from the public regarding various schemes and initiatives launched by the Indian government, accompanied by a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to a recent report by Khaleej Times, individuals of different nationalities, including Asma Zain, a Pakistani journalist based in Dubai, and Fahad Siddiqui, a British resident of Dubai, along with several other Britons, found the message in their WhatsApp inbox, originating from the official account of the Indian IT Ministry.
The letter outlined several government schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and Matru Vandana Yojana, inviting suggestions and feedback on these initiatives. Recipients of the message expressed bewilderment over their involvement, with some questioning the necessity for Prime Minister Modi to seek input from individuals residing outside of India.
Criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s outreach efforts ensued from opposition parties, particularly the Kerala Congress unit, which accused the government of misusing public data for election campaigning purposes. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding the apparent contradiction with WhatsApp’s policy, which prohibits the use of the messaging platform for political campaigns.
Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor highlighted the issue, questioning whether the Election Commission of India would take action against what he termed as the “blatant misuse of government machinery and data” to serve the political interests of the ruling party. Similarly, Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra criticized the BJP-led government for allegedly utilizing taxpayers’ money for campaign messaging following the enforcement of the model code of conduct.
In essence, the unexpected receipt of the WhatsApp message from the ‘Viksit Bharat Sampark’ account by individuals residing outside of India, including those from diverse nationalities, has sparked controversy and raised concerns regarding the use of government resources and data for political outreach purposes.
