Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday, 25 May 2026, participated in the Social Media Manthan programme held in Haldwani, engaging with social media influencers, content creators, volunteers, and youth on the constructive role of digital platforms in the present era.

Context

Posting on X, CM Dhami described the event as an interactive dialogue — 'soshal meediya ki sakaratmak bhumika par vistar charcha' (an extensive discussion on the positive role of social media) — with a cross-section of digital contributors and young participants. The programme was organised in Haldwani, the commercial and educational hub of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. Four photographs shared alongside the post showed the Chief Minister interacting with attendees at the event.

Policy Backdrop

The Social Media Manthan fits within the broader framework of India's Digital India programme, launched in 2015, which encouraged state governments to leverage digital tools for e-governance, public outreach, and digital literacy. BJP-governed states have, over the past decade, institutionalised outreach to digital creators as a means of amplifying governance messaging and fostering responsible platform use. Such state-level conclaves have become a recurring feature of political communication strategy since the 2014 general elections, when social media emerged as a decisive arena for public engagement.

Uttarakhand has been incrementally expanding its digital governance footprint, and events like the Manthan serve as a platform to align the state's communication priorities with an influential cohort of online voices. The choice of Haldwani — a densely populated urban centre with a young demographic — underscores the strategic intent of reaching digitally active youth in the Kumaon belt.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary participants at the Manthan were social media influencers, content creators, and youth volunteers — a community that shapes public opinion across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and X. By engaging this group directly, the state government positions them as amplifiers of policy communication and responsible digital conduct. For influencers and creators, such forums offer direct access to senior political leadership and a channel to raise platform-level concerns.

Broader civil society and citizens stand to benefit if the dialogue translates into concrete guidelines or support structures for digital literacy and responsible content creation at the state level. The event also signals the administration's recognition that organic digital voices carry credibility with younger audiences that official handles alone cannot replicate.

What's Next

Observers will watch whether the Social Media Manthan in Haldwani is followed by similar conclaves in other divisions of Uttarakhand, or whether it leads to formalised state guidelines on responsible social media use. Integration with Uttarakhand's ongoing IT policy updates or digital governance initiatives remains a possibility. The event may also serve as a template for the BJP's grassroots digital outreach ahead of future electoral cycles in the state.