L-G Secretariat to hire social media agency amid criticism from AAP

The Secretariat of the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) is set to hire a social media agency to enhance its digital outreach, particularly for key public-oriented projects, officials said on Wednesday.

The Secretariat, which oversees housing, infrastructure development, law and order, security and other key areas, has announced a tender for the contract, amounting to Rs 1.5 crore annually.

A senior official from the L-G Secretariat said, “The Secretariat deals with crucial subjects that affect the daily lives of Delhi’s residents, including the development of green spaces, restoration of heritage sites, traffic management and pollution control. These projects require active public participation and feedback, which necessitates a robust social media presence. The agency will help us maintain a continuous interface with the people of Delhi, ensuring transparency and factual communication.”

The official also said, “In today’s age of misinformation, it is essential for us to put out factual and correct information to counter false narratives. This is a significant reason behind our decision to hire a dedicated social media agency.”

However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.

The minister’s statement, which labelled the move as wasteful and politically motivated, has been met with strong objections from the L-G Secretariat.

Responding to the minister’s remarks, the L-G Secretariat issued a statement condemning his choice of words as “abusive, defamatory, misleading and patently false”.

The Secretariat hinted at the possibility of taking legal action against Bharadwaj for his comments.

An official said, “It is ironic that such statements come from a minister of a government that has spent Rs 1,900 crore of public money on advertising from 2019 to 2023, including during the financial distress caused by the pandemic. The publicity budget for 2023-2024 alone stands at Rs 557.24 crore.”