Social media, as a tool of activism, has changed the face of politics in every country all over the world, especially in India. As one of the leading democracies with a digitally-aware population, the digital air of India is abuzz with vibrant political activity that has made hashtags on such issues powerful tools to swing public opinion and galvanize support. From nationwide campaigns to localized protests, hashtags give political parties, activists, and citizens a voice to plead for change or defend their ideologies. In this article, we will explore the major trends in the use of political hashtags in India, analysing how they have impacted political engagement and participation.
1. Rise of Political Hashtags in India
In this respect, political hashtags in the Indian politics scenario were quite convenient when there was the advent of social networking sites, basically of Twitter and Facebook. Even though India boasted a rich tradition of street protest and public rallies, still modern digital platforms let way to online political activities, one such thing was that where Twitter saw a majority portion of hastened, short and viral communication as the form of the hashtag.
One of the earliest political movements, which effectively used social media along with hashtags, was led by Anna Hazare as an anti-corruption movement in 2011. Hashtags like #IndiaAgainstCorruption were popular for months, bringing wide attention and mobilizing public opinions against corruption. This trend, along with other political actions, paved the way to the growing role of political hashtags in the country.
Major election and protests also became meaningless without the usage of hashtags for their propagation, and then comes policy debate. Even for the General Elections 2014, many a hashtag got to do a lot for candidates, in support for Narendra Modi candidacy, by the hashtags of #NaMoForPM and how people advocated BJP by another hashtag of #AbKiBaarModiSarkar; on the opposition side, for the purpose of BJP narration, these had employed such hashtags for people who oppose and wanted against Narendra Modi #RahulForPM or #CongressForChange.
These soon swamped the screens through mainstream debates and opinions evoked on the web. This makes the hashtags an integral component of Indian political campaign communications among political actors with citizens sidestepping the customary gatekeepers in media outlets.
2. Hashtag Wars: The Election Campaigns
Politics is a battlefield, and with the emergence of hashtags on social media, these are powerful weapons. In this space, political hashtags become an explosion, especially in the General and State elections. Both the national parties and regional parties use digital campaigning and hashtags for their respective agendas and gathering their own supporters.
For instance, during 2019 General Elections, we noticed a storm of tweets coming from the ruling party BJP and its supporters with the hashtags #ModiOnceMore #MainBhiChowkidar #ModiHaiTohMumkinHai. Here, they try to make Narendra Modi a decisive leader who could protect the country and an ordinary watchman. Then, the opposition parties launched #ChowkidarChorHai and #SaveDemocracy challenging Modi’s regime and the problems in governance.
The sheer volume of theses political hashtags indicates the high stakes involved in Indian elections. Hashtag wars during elections have often turned out to be trending topics on Twitter, where thousands and thousands users heat up debates, make memes, and share political messages. For politicians, these digital campaigns are no longer an optional add-on but part and parcel of electoral strategy.
It’s not just the prominent parties that use political hashtags, but also independent candidates, smaller regional parties, and political activists, through which they seek attention to their cause and challenge the Indian mainstream of politics. As it is easy to get noticed with hashtags, one is able to include many more voices in the debate over Indian politics in the virtual space, making it not just more diverse but inclusive too.
3. How Do Hashtags Act as an Instrument of Political Activism and Movements?
Political hashtags are not limited to use during election times only. They have also become a tool for the facilitation of political activism and movements in the country. In the recent past, hashtags have also become significant rallying points both for online and offline protests, raising various voices, and mobilizing people over pressing issues.
Probably, the most prominent hashtag-driven political activism in India is the #MeToo movement that exposed sexual harassment and gender inequality across sectors. This was not inherently a political movement but had more political significance since the government had to reevaluate the safety and justice accorded to women.
For example, there were huge protests against CAA and NRC. #RejectCAA, #IndiaAgainstCAA, #ShaheenBagh were rallying points for protesting from the margins. All these were trending hashtags during months that fueled debates as well as protests all around the country. The protest sit-in by women about CAA at Shaheen Bagh was global news because of political hastags.
Similarly, during 2020-2021, while protesting against three farm laws, there were multiple usages of hashtags such as #FarmersProtest and #StandWithFarmers which made this cause become one of the greatest mass movements in Indian recent history, and through a hashtag, international attention had been attracted towards this. Celebrities, activists, and politicians from other countries used the same hashtags with solidarity towards the farmers on social media, and this reflects social media power over geography.
4. Regional and Issue-Based Hashtags
India is such a vast country with immense diversity in its political world, and regional issues are often focused upon. Thus, unlike national issues, political issues are not restricted to country-wide problems; they reflect the politics of the land, region-wise and also in respect of the issues particular communities face. Regional parties have often used hashtags from regional areas, especially like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, focusing the local audience.
For example, in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election, the TMC used slogans like #BanglaNijerMeyekeiChay (Bengal Wants Its Own Daughter) for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP retaliated with slogans such as #PoribortonYatra (Journey for Change), signifying that it was prepared to defeat the TMC government.
The very prominent election-related popular hashtags during elections and political debates include #DravidianModel and #SaveTamilNadu trending in the state of Tamil Nadu. Regional pride hashtags present diverse cultural and political realities around different parts of India that how digital tools, especially hashtags, give attention to local concerns along with the issues in the country as a whole.
This relevance is increasing in Indian politics concerning issue-based hashtags. Take the example of eco-campaigns related to protesting against cutting trees at Mumbai Aarey Colony: there has been a good use of the hashtag #SaveAarey in pressurizing action by government. The same goes with the growing digital campaign regarding the rights of minorities, climate action, and even economic reform.
These regional and issue-based political hashtags reflect how social media allows political conversations to be both broad and highly targeted. While national debates dominate mainstream media, the space for regional voices and specific causes is provided by hashtags, thus making Indian political discourse multifaceted.
The Growing Influence of Political Hashtags in India
In conclusion, the proliferation of political hashtags in India has significantly changed the way political discourse is conducted. From campaigns to elections and from regional concerns to national debates, these hashtags have emerged as dynamic and accessible ways of engaging in politics. They have enabled politicians, activists, and citizens to voice their opinions, rally support, and influence public perception. As digital platforms continue to evolve, so too will the use of political hashtags in shaping India’s political landscape.
Looking ahead, the usage of hashtags in Indian politics would only increase. With increasingly higher internet penetration and rapidly growing social media popularity, hashtags will remain an imperative tool for political communication, advocacy, and activism, but this also raises concerns in terms of the misuse of hashtags, such as how they spread misinformation and are used to polarize citizens. That will be the responsible use of political hashtags: what will keep the future of Indian politics healthy and vibrant.