"Neutral" No More: Unmasking Gaurav Thakur's Alleged Pro-BJP Propaganda

 

A recent YouTube video from the channel "Naveen Choudhary" takes aim at content creator Gaurav Thakur, accusing him of masquerading as a neutral political analyst while consistently promoting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and selectively criticizing its opposition. The video alleges that Thakur's content is a form of "soft propaganda," using misleading tactics to influence public opinion.

The central accusation against Gaurav Thakur is that he claims to be neutral but acts like a BJP loyalist, working "without salary in service". The video asserts that he frequently mocks the Congress party and other opposition figures, but either remains silent on BJP's actions or twists facts to defend them. This alleged "selective devotion" or "selective bhakti" is presented as his core modus operandi.

The Pattern of Bias: Mocking Opposition, Protecting BJP

The exposé highlights several instances to illustrate Thakur's alleged bias:

• Mocking Congress's Economic Proposals: When Rahul Gandhi proposed giving ₹8,500 per month and ₹1 lakh per year directly into the bank accounts of one woman in every family if Congress came to power, Gaurav Thakur reportedly ridiculed it as a "freebie" and turned a "serious economic proposal into a comedy".
• Downplaying BJP's Promises: In contrast, when discussing the Uttar Pradesh elections, Thakur allegedly skipped over a long list of significant BJP manifesto promises by stating that "no big freebies were announced" or that there was "no special preparation". The video lists numerous BJP promises that were ignored, including free scooty and UPSC coaching for girls, a job for every household, two free LPG cylinders for Holi and Diwali, free laptops and smartphones, free sports kits, free pink toilets for women, free bus travel for women over 60, renovation of "Karishma Janmabhoomi," Ayushman cards for Anganwadi workers, and a Lata Mangeshkar Academy.
• Diverting Criticism: When questions arose about the government's control over the CBI, particularly regarding the appointment of Rishi Kumar Shukla as CBI Director, Thakur allegedly diverted the topic by comparing the situation to China and North Korea, instead of addressing the specific allegations against the Modi government.
• Hiding Electoral Bond Controversies: The video claims Thakur deliberately concealed crucial information about Electoral Bonds. He reportedly failed to mention that Congress had pledged to abolish the scheme in their 2019 election manifesto and, more critically, that there was a pattern of Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on companies, followed by donations to the BJP via electoral bonds, and then the awarding of large contracts to those same companies. The video argues that revealing this would expose that the money was not just a donation but an "investment".
• Defending the Government During the Manipur Crisis: Instead of questioning the government during the "grave crisis" in Manipur, which involved rape, murder, and human rights violations, Gaurav Thakur allegedly made two videos defending the government, labeling the ground reality as a "hidden agenda" and blaming "violent terrorist organizations".
• Ignoring Lack of Press Conferences: He reportedly remained silent on the fact that Prime Minister Modi has not held a single "freely held question and answer" press conference in 10 years.

The "Gaurav Thakur Formula": Manipulation Through Half-Truths

The video asserts that Thakur's primary tool is "half-truths" – not outright lies, but selective information that suits his narrative. His "formula" involves:

• Sensational Thumbnails and Titles: Using "explosive" thumbnails and "sensational" titles that suggest criticism of the BJP (e.g., "How BJP Lost UP Because of Ram Mandir" or "Is Modi A Dictator? Complete Unbiased Analyze").
• Manipulative Content: Inside the video, however, the content often shifts, either defending the BJP, hiding their alleged propaganda, or presenting a "full dose of selective devotion". For example, in the "Is Modi A Dictator?" video, instead of an unbiased analysis, it presented a "cleansing clarification" on how Modi is not a dictator, highlighting his democratic election victories and constitutional decisions.
• Editing and Narrative Control: He allegedly uses editing to "make up the truth" and sell it to his audience, always staying "system friendly" and using "soft propaganda".

The video concludes that Gaurav Thakur's "neutrality mask has fallen", and he is not a neutral creator but a "one-sided propaganda" machine. It warns that such "half-truths" are more dangerous than outright lies because people are more likely to believe them, leading to a "mindwash" of public doubt.