AP Union Budget protest goes online over social media

Hyderabad: Thousands of citizens took to their keyboards to protest and denounce the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh by the Union government. Usually, citizens take to social media to raise civic concerns, or share government programmes, but this time Internet protesters have taken to Facebook to down rate party pages to express their anger at AP’s interests being ignored in the recent Union Budget.

Just like customers review products on e-commerce websites with stars, 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest, people are reviewing political parties on their social media pages.

Things went to such an extent that the Bharatiya Janata Party had to disable the review option. This did not deter people from voicing their opinions and reviewing every possible page of the saffron party where the option is enabled.

After the BJP disabled the option, people showed their anger by down rating the Facebook pages of President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to just one star.

A review on President Kovind’s page by Facebook user Sri Chaitanya Paramatmuni, reads: “Uncle, What is this, Where is Spl Status (sic).”

On the other hand a review on Sushma Swaraj’s page reads, “Chinnama please save AP, keep your promises. As a leader of opposition at the time of bifurcation, you’re also the main reason for the problems of AP. AP DEMANDSpecialStatus (sic).”

Some netizens are reviewing Narendra Modi’s app and the BJP app on the Google Play Store.

A user, Roop Chand on the BJP app on Play store wrote: “Save AP from this BJP exploitation.”

Another user Sandeep Lvrs on Narendra Modi's app wrote: “I am a huge fan of Modiji and I do support him for what he has been doing for our country. But the way he has betrayed my state Andhra Pradesh has forced me to disliking him in this way. I demand Special Status for Andhra Pradesh and as a protest I am rating this app with 1 star.”

Down rating a Facebook page is a new form of protest netizens are resorting to express their anger. Mass down rating campaigns by Telugus was previously witnessed on YouTube when movie stars were targeted.

The anger is, of course, on account of the BJP-led Union government shelving provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.

On the other popular social networking site, Twitter, netizens are seeking support from Telugu movie stars and are criticising them for their hypocrisy in supporting Jallikattu but not special category status for Andhra Pradesh.