Recently, PM Modi ji announced that to mark women’s day on March 8, 2020, he will be giving away his social media accounts to inspirational women. This is indeed a brilliant move as it will help to ignite motivation in other women. If you want to take over PM Modi’s social media accounts for a day, you can use social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to post about your achievements. Don’t forget to post your entries with the hashtag #SheInspiresUs. You can also shoot a video and post it on YouTube with the hashtag #SheInspiresUs.
When the first tweet came from Modi ji that he is giving up his social media account, speculations were rife whether he was planning to log out of social media forever. Within a few minutes, #NoSir started trending as his countless followers and supporters tweeted to him, asking him to not quit social media. However, he put the rumors to rest when he clarified that he was simply allowing inspiring women to take over his account on International Women’s Day.
Why this takeover matters?
Given the popularity of PM Modi on social media, this can be a great way to share the inspiring stories of women from all walks of life. As we know, Modi ji is very active on social media. He has more than 53 million followers on Twitter that makes him one of the most followed Indians on Twitter. He is also the third-most followed leader on Twitter right after Barack Obama who has 113.3 million followers, and Donald Trump who has 73.3 million followers. Modi ji is also very active on Instagram with 35.2 million followers. So a social media exposure through the account of such an influencer can work wonders. It can grant more exposure to such women and also get them more followers and leads. This can be particularly helpful if those women are working on special projects or have NGOs that need monetary support from donors. Women can use this opportunity to showcase themselves and build an audience.
Social media cannot do without Modi ji’s presence
PM Modi ji is one of the first political leaders to have used social media platforms to directly engage with the public. He started tweeting from January 2009 when only very few politicians were active on social media.
It is through his presence on social media that he was able to connect with the younger voters in particular. As always, critics of the government were quick to point out that this was simply a gimmick to deflect the real issues at hand. Unfortunately, they fail to see beyond their agendas to appreciate the true motivation behind this announcement. There are so many women across the country who are extremely inspiring but do not get noticed by mainstream media. In such a scenario, to be able to use the social media accounts of one of the biggest influencers in the space can be a boon. With the proliferation of the internet, more and more Indians are turning to social media for their daily dose of news and to stay updated with the trends. Therefore, this is an excellent opportunity for these women to get noticed. I think this act by PM Modi is truly commendable.
Let us also not forget that Modi ji also follows countless ordinary citizens on various social media platforms. This goes on to show the fact that he is fully committed to interacting with the general public which is not possible through press conferences alone. He is also equally popular on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. He also hosts a radio show titled Mann ki Baat on All India Radio where he speaks about a range of topics right from water conservation to women’s empowerment. Citizens are also free to send in their suggestions about the topics that they would like to cover.
Conclusion
Modi ji’s government has been always committed to the empowerment of women. To improve the efficiency of welfare services for a girl child and encourage the literacy of women, the government launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme in 2015. In 2016, Mahila E-haat was launched to provide a platform to the women entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and NGOs to showcase their products and services. Support for training and employment programs for women was set up to impart the right skills to women so that they can find jobs.
In my opinion, this social media takeover is another feather in the cap of the government to provide a boost to women’s empowerment. Given that this step involves Modi ji personally, it is even more exciting. I hope that deserving women get a chance to be featured.