The making of the Republic of Abuse

The BJP, known for weaponizing disinformation, has shifted from its old social media team to one characterized by harsh language. This new team is not afraid to use abusive and vulgar terms against their opponents. In doing so, the BJP aims to shut down the opposition and exclude them from the national conversation without resorting to physical violence.

Words have become an instrument of power in the BJP's hands, used to humiliate and silence opponents. This form of language is not just a reaction, but a deliberate technique to establish an environment of abuse that discourages dissent.

The BJP's strategy became apparent when they appointed a new social media team, following PM Narendra Modi's warning about "dimagi Naxals" during his Independence Day address. This phrase, along with others like "urban Naxal" and "Khan Market gang", is used to label and delegitimize opponents, making them targets rather than participants in democratic debate. The BJP labels those who disagree with them as "dimagi Naxal", effectively banning them from the conversation.

The BJP's method of silencing opponents has been compared to their predecessors, as they use similar derogatory terms against their critics. For instance, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, and Mamata Banerjee have all been subject to abusive language from Modi and his associates. This pattern of personal attacks instead of debating the issues at hand has been observed since Modi's rise to power.

The BJP's usage of abusive language has become more commonplace, with phrases like "love jihad", "corona jihad", and "UPSC jihad" being normalized on TV news. This creates a toxic environment where dissenting voices are treated as a security threat, rather than as valid opinions. The BJP's strategy of abusive language and labeling opponents as "objects of ridicule" fosters an atmosphere where disagreement is treated as a threat to the nation, rather than a fundamental aspect of a democratic society.