Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Instagram empire hit 100 million followers, but Congress MP Tariq Anwar isn’t impressed. In a candid New Delhi conversation with IANS, he called it a facade, alleging bought bots and tactics familiar to social media savvy users.
Triggering the outburst was the recent Shimla clash involving Delhi Police detaining Youth Congress activists during an AI summit protest. Anwar rallied to their defense: ‘These boys exercised their constitutional rights. No heinous crimes here—why the heavy-handed approach?’
He pointed to protocol breaches, questioning Delhi Police’s unannounced arrival without informing Himachal counterparts. ‘Routine arrests require coordination; this was an ambush on peaceful demonstrators.’
Diving into Modi’s popularity, Anwar asserted, ‘Real support can’t be faked. Recent deals with America are eroding his base—watch how time unfolds the truth.’
Broader salvos included rebuking Maharashtra’s Nitesh Rane for inflammatory madrasa statements, rooted in ‘toxic anti-Muslim mindsets.’ Netanyahu’s praise? ‘Every foreign trip gets applause—nothing extraordinary.’ On NCERT controversies, Anwar affirmed court observations of a deliberate scheme to tarnish judicial reputation through textbook tweaks.
With elections looming, Anwar’s rhetoric signals Congress’s aggressive pushback against perceived government overreach and image manipulation.