Demand to probe Prashanth Kishore?s I-PAC increases over allegations of using undemocratic means to influence voters in TN

Social media commentator Maridhas has demanded a through probe on poll strategist Prashanth Kishore’s I-PAC functioning towards murder of democracy. It tries to win elections with money and data gleaned through fraudulent means which should be stopped forthwith.

DMK chief MK Stalin has engaged Bihar based Prashanth Kishore’s I-PAC to help win the 2021 TN assembly elections. Maridhas, in a just released video, discusses this detail. He has earlier aired videos of the links between DMK, DK and Karuppar Kootam, ‘Karunanidhi father of Corruption’ and others. The excerpts of the latest video are given follow:

Maridhas said “Political parties engage outfits to arrange for public meetings, planting news in important media, distribute handbills, produce short films, and prepare poll manifestos. But this IPAC has gone beyond that limit to befool the mass. We have released some documents in the first phase. Many more will come in due course.

The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data breach was a data leak. In 2018 Cambridge Analytica sold millions of Facebook user’s personal data without consent. It was used for political campaigning. After the one of the largest leak in the Face book history, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s office proposed a fine $ 663,000 and the Federal Trade Commission voted to approve fining the face book around $5 billion. It built a psychological profiles by using data like your family size, occupation, job details, future aspirations, family background, native place and present place of living, whom you are connected etc. it is a micro analysis. Nothing wrong when compared to what our I-PAC is doing. As a Political Action Committee (PAC) Cambridge was paid for the data clandestine exchange for Rs.45 – 50 crore but the I-PAC’s deal is for 380 crore for a small state like Tamil Nadu . They are working for money and no ethics involved. Prashanth’s firm is doing dangerous things which are burying the democratic principles for which crime they can be deported from the country”.

Explaining further Maridhas said “We have obtained details from people working in I-PAC firm used for training interviewers. Their first job is to en-role jobless youths on a contract basis with fixed term assignment. During the training they are taught how to dress, how to handle mobile, laptop, communication skills through zoom. The trained youths’ job is to find out the influential people from their locality and their family, job details. The person should be able to convince people to vote for a particular party. He could be a doctor, preacher, business person, defense service, medal winners, teachers, doctors, lawyer, women club, government employee, member of an NGO, social media or rights activist, and public speakers. It has 23 sectors which include youtube channels, local cable TV. They give them “Calling Script-Identification of influencers”. The callers have to fill the form name, mobile number, sex, occupation, why is he/she influential?, accomplishments etc. in all 234 assembly constituencies they callers calming to be firm or NGO, TV or you tube channel asking them to recommend influential persons from their locality for award to be given. They never say they are calling from I- PAC. Why it hid its identity? Influential local media owners are approached with a tempting offer of cash to toe their lines. They are assigned to build databases but engage unemployed youth to assimilate data through fraudulent means.

What will they do with these databases? They would shortlist 2,34,000 persons ( 234 x 1000) and each would be paid a minimum of 2lakh which worked out Rs.4,680 crore . This way it ensures victory for DMK candidates. The entire operation is against democratic norms. If they spend 5,000 crores for influential persons, what will be the amount for actors and others? If they spend 10,000 crores to win elections, what type of administration do we expect from them. They would indulge in corruption to get back money spent to win the elections. If Prashanth Kishor, as a political advisor, should do a survey to know projects needed and devise his strategy based on that, none will bother. Why does he collect data by fraudulent means? We have 34 more documents with us. If any of your friends or persons asks you to vote for DMK , it means he is on their payroll. We know the track record of DMK and its corruption. It has no moral right to seek votes. If anybody approaches you seeking to vote for the party, assume that he is working for DMK. We are for a healthy political system in the state. I am prepared to give all the documents which are in our possession. If any judge, IAS, IPS officer, NGO who can take it up with appropriate forum to book Prashanth Kishor and his IPAC for adopting unethical methods, I would part with the evidence we have. What we exposed was the tip of an iceberg. We demand the central government to order a thorough probe into the working of I-PAC. if the elections are to be transparent, fair and just, action must be taken against I PAC and to find out how they control actors and others. If they try to tweak the results by using money and by fraudulent means, there is no need for an election.

Journalist Suresh Kumar rightly pointed out that a winning horse does not need any support. If I-PAC supports a horse at the last lap to win or a new political party like Kamal’s MNM, hiis skills would be counted” . He says “DMK was not the first choice for Prashanth Kishore. I PAC was not the first choice DMK. In the present scenario, DMK would win on its own as against the prevailing anti-establishment and anti-Modi mind- set. Cadres are against the dynastic rule of DMK with certain people being given chances again and again. DMK seats are given on the basis of money irrespective of the candidate’s criminal background. I-PAC’s all ideas were utter flop in TN so far. Getting details through social media about the influential person of the locality is not going to work. Unleashing freebies and paying money for votes, loan waiver were usual tactics that DMK followed in the past. It worked well. I -PAC has no clue about Rajini’s plan, about BJP’s strategy and lock down is a handicap for him to gauge the mood and pulse of the voters.. There is an uncertainty whether the election will be held in 2021 or 2022’’.

There is a cold war between DMK IT wing and I PAC. I PAC feels IT wing has infiltrated into its set up to sabotage its plans. IT wing and district functionaries do not want I-PAC’s interference in candidate selections and other internal matters. I-PAC prefers young and new faces to contest which bothers seniors of losing their grip over the party.

DMK wants to win the election by hook or crook means. Besides engaging I PAC, it resorted to all other ways to ensure victory. Its controlled media are working for its favour.

One Kavitha (not real name) in a message called upon unemployed youths to create fake IDs in girl’s name . I would arrange 17,000 per month. It should be like Vanitha, Madhavi Sri, Seeman parody, Jennifer which are created by me and my friends. “ open an ID and do as I say. We will get a link. On 6th of every month you will get paid for the same. The content for the post would be sent through notepad” . This proves how they control social media to spread fake news.