Ajit Pawar revokes order to appoint agency for social media handling after public outrage

After considerable outrage, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar ordered the cancellation of the decision to appoint an external agency to handle his social media accounts. As per an order issued by the General Administration Department on Wednesday, the state government decided to allocate a total of Rs.5,98,02,400 for the external agency in the fiscal year 2021-22. While maintaining that the Deputy CM's Office does not require a separate agency to handle social media, Pawar assured that communication with people and media shall continue through the existing social media mechanism. 

The contentious Government Order

Highlighting that the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations lacked the technical and professional competence to deal with social media, the contentious Government Order stressed the importance of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, blog and website to disseminate information to the people. The agency was supposed to be appointed in consultation with the Deputy CM's secretariat and the DGIPR. The DGIPR was made responsible for keeping a check on the functioning of the agency so that no mistakes are committed and ensuring that there is no duplication of the messages conveyed by the secretariat of the CM and the Deputy CM.

The MVA government's move has attracted criticism from opposition parties at a time when the state is battling the second wave of COVID-19. Reacting to this development, the Mumbai unit of AAP stated, "Maharashtra reeling under an economic and health crisis, but cash-strapped Maha Vikas Aghadi sarkar can still waste 6 Crores of public money for building Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's image!" Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ram Kadam questioned the priorities of the government. According to him, the splurging of money on publicity was at odds with MVA's assertion that there is not enough money for the COVID-19 vaccination. 

Furthermore, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar remarked, "Crores of rupees are being spent on the publicity of the Deputy CM. His uncle does not care about the farmers and the Maratha reservation. They care about bar owners. Here, people, doctors, nurses are struggling because of less pay. People are dying because of COVID-19. But this shameless government cares only about its publicity. I demand that the contract of the PR agencies handling the CM and the Deputy CM should be scrapped immediately and an inquiry should be held on the amount spent."