GUWAHATI: With the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) intesifying in the whole of the country, the centre led BJP party had begun a campaign asking people to give a missed call to a number to 'register' their support for the controversial law.
मैं सभी देशवासियों से अपील करता हूँ कि प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी द्वारा पाकिस्तान, बांग्लादेश और अफगानिस्तान से आए अल्पसंख्यकों को न्याय व अधिकार देने वाले CAA पर अपना समर्थन देने के लिए 8866288662 पर missed call दें।#IndiaSupportsCAA pic.twitter.com/BYPuoU2oIN
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 3, 2020
However, the campaign strategy took a rather interesting turn, as it later emerged with several Twitter accounts had begun misleading their followers into calling the number on pretexts that callers would get “free Netflix subscription”, connect with job openings or even get in touch with phone sex operators.
If someone's tryna love me or date me please now is the time I am free. Call me on 8866288662
— aNOushka (@attentionsucker) January 4, 2020
According to reports, some of the accounts claimed that they were done only as a “prank”, evidence suggests many are linked to the BJP IT cell.
Meanwhile, Streaming platform Netflix joined in, saying if somebody wanted a free subscription, they should just use another person’s account, “like the rest of us”.
This is absolutely fake. If you want free Netflix please use someone else's account like the rest of us. https://t.co/PHhwdA3sEI
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) January 4, 2020