Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has appealed to social media content creators and influencers to highlight Uttarakhand’s tourist destinations, local products, cultural heritage, and social achievements in their content. He stated that social media content creators can also effectively counter fake news or negative narratives.
Addressing the “Social Media Manthan” program held at the Chief Servant House on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that today, social media has become the fastest and most effective medium for communication and information exchange. A person sitting in any corner of the world can convey their thoughts and views to the entire world in a matter of moments. Social media has provided a platform to the voice of the common citizen. This is why today, news ranging from the biggest global events to the smallest problems in a village reaches millions of people in a matter of seconds.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon assuming power in 2014, made social media and digital platforms a vital part of governance. He said that the Prime Minister has made social media a powerful medium for communication, transparency, and active citizen participation, making governance not only people-centric but also directly connecting every citizen to policy-making and decision-making. He said that Modi has set a new example of digital governance in India through platforms like X, Facebook, “Mann Ki Baat,” MyGov, and the PMO’s digital ecosystem. He himself ranks among the most followed politicians in the world.
The Chief Minister said that, inspired by the Prime Minister, the state government is also committed to building a “Digital Uttarakhand.” From the Chief Minister’s Office to all departments, everyone is communicating directly with the public. He said that previously, filing complaints required frequent visits to offices, but today, a tweet or Facebook message provides an immediate solution. He personally monitors suggestions, complaints, and public concerns received daily on various social media platforms in the state.
The Chief Minister noted that many times, a single post or live stream has made possible the treatment of a child, restored an elderly person’s pension, repaired a road, or helped rescue people trapped in a disaster. Meanwhile, the misuse of social media is rapidly increasing. Today, the tendency to spread confusion in society through fake news, rumors, and negative narratives has emerged as a challenge. He noted that some people are using the power of social media to create ideological divisions, disrupt social harmony, and spread misconceptions about the government’s public welfare schemes. In such times, the role of responsible social media warriors becomes even more crucial.
The Chief Minister noted that in recent times, some people with anti-religious and anti-national mindsets are attempting to defame our religious faith and rich cultural traditions through misleading news, fake narratives, and false propaganda. At such a time, any misleading, factless, or anti-social content not only needs to be immediately fact-checked, but its factual information also needs to be disseminated to the public.
Chief Minister Dhami said that sometimes some negative content creators seek to gain more views and likes by distorting news related to the government, society, religion, and the state’s pride and presenting it with misleading facts. However, everyone needs to understand that between the race for fame and followers, there is also a fine line between our moral responsibility and social duty.
The Chief Minister said that ever since the state government has taken strict action against anti-social elements through various laws to protect the original form of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, some anti-national elements and members of urban Naxal gangs have been attempting to create fake narratives by creating fake accounts under different names on social media.
