by Sanbeer Singh Ranhotra, February 16, 2021, /tfipost.com
https://tinyurl.com/ygsxwa4d
Modi govt gives a big shock to Twitter as it crowns Koo as its number one mode of communication with the masses
Twitter was foolish to make an enemy out of the Modi government. Now, in a development which has stamped authority over our repeated assertions of the American microblogging site has dug its own grave in India, senior government officials have informed ET Now and News18 that the Indian app – Koo will be given priority over Twitter.
After putting up an unsuccessful show of defiance against the Modi government, Twitter ultimately relented and blocked a majority of the accounts which the Indian government had blacklisted. However, the Centre is clear in its plan – an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat‘ cannot be achieved while Indians are dependent on American Big Tech for communication.
According to a report by ET Now, the Modi government will soon start sharing important updates and announcements first on Koo, and then 1-3 hours later on Twitter. “The second option is for the ministers, bureaucrats, ministries and departments to first share the update on Koo, and then copy-paste that link on Twitter. This is also being planned to increase Koo’s traction,” ET Now quoted the anonymous source as saying.
It must be remembered that Union Minister Piyush Goyal is already sharing links of his Koos on Twitter, which has been described by the government functionary as the second option. In major news, the source also informed that PM Modi will soon be joining Koo, after the home-grown app witnesses a substantial rise in user base.
“It will be topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi joining in. That will be after the user base grows a lot more,” the source said, adding that in the days to come, cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and senior members of the government including bureaucrats will start joining Koo.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), the Union Ministry of Railways and some other government departments like IndiaPost have already set up accounts on Koo. Senior BJP leaders have started creating handles on the Indian app, and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal have accounts on the microblogging site already.
Read more: Modi govt gives a tight slap to Twitter and promotes Indian-made Koo app and it is taking India by storm
Koo is no other experiment. In fact, it is an app which embodies best the frustration of Indians against American Big Tech companies. On Google Play Store, Koo is a top charter. As part of its Series A funding, Koo managed to raise $4.1 million only last week. Infosys veteran Mohandas Pai’s 3one4 Capital is the newest investor on board.
The app also won second place in the Aatmanirbhar App Challenge announced by the Indian government. It was also named Google Play Store’s Best Daily Essential App for 2020 and got a special mention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address.
The Indian government has made up its mind. Koo will soon be India’s primary mode of communication. The Twitter fiasco recently has served as an opportunity for the country to come together and flock to Koo. Once nationally a sensation, Koo will also go international, and take on American Big Tech hegemons in the global market.
Twitter’s obstinacy to not follow government directives initially has proven to be a disaster for it. Not only did it have to follow the government’s directive, but also has to now prepare itself for an unprecedented Aatmanirbhar social media blitzkrieg in India.
