influencer – The Commune https://thecommunemag.com Mainstreaming Alternate Fri, 06 Jun 2025 05:25:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://thecommunemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-TC_SF-1-32x32.jpg influencer – The Commune https://thecommunemag.com 32 32 Pakistani Travel Agent “Madam N” Ran ISI Sleeper Cell Network Using Indian Pilgrims And Influencers, Say Intel Agencies https://thecommunemag.com/pakistani-travel-agent-madam-n-ran-isi-sleeper-cell-network-using-indian-pilgrims-and-influencers-say-intel-agencies/ Fri, 06 Jun 2025 05:25:43 +0000 https://thecommunemag.com/?p=116631 Indian intelligence agencies have identified a Pakistani woman, Noshaba Shehzad Masood — codenamed Madam N — as a central figure in a growing espionage network that allegedly involved recruiting Indian social media influencers and YouTubers as spies for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to official sources, Noshaba Shehzad runs a Lahore-based travel company named Jaiyana […]

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Indian intelligence agencies have identified a Pakistani woman, Noshaba Shehzad Masood — codenamed Madam N — as a central figure in a growing espionage network that allegedly involved recruiting Indian social media influencers and YouTubers as spies for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

According to official sources, Noshaba Shehzad runs a Lahore-based travel company named Jaiyana Travel and Tourism, which played a key role in facilitating the travel of Indian nationals, particularly Hindu and Sikh influencers and vloggers, into Pakistan. One such individual, Jyoti Malhotra, was among those arrested and interrogated by Indian agencies, during which Madam N’s name surfaced.

Investigators believe that Shehzad was working under direct instructions from the ISI and the Pakistani Army to build a widespread sleeper cell network across India. Intelligence inputs suggest that her goal was to embed at least 500 operatives—posing as common citizens—across the country to collect and transmit sensitive information to Pakistani handlers.

Shehzad’s alleged influence extended into the Pakistani diplomatic mission in New Delhi, where she maintained contact with key embassy officials including First Secretary (Visa) Suhail Qamar and Counsellor (Trade) Umar Sheryar. She was also in touch with a former visa officer, Danish alias Ehsan-ur-Rehman, who was expelled from India following the exposure of Jyoti Malhotra’s espionage activities.

Notably, Jaiyana Travel and Tourism is the only agency permitted to organise Hindu and Sikh pilgrimages to Pakistan, working in collaboration with the Evacuee Trust Property Board. Despite the absence of formal procedures for tourism between India and Pakistan, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi is reported to have frequently issued visas based on Madam N’s sponsorship.

In the past six months alone, approximately 3,000 Indian citizens and 1,500 non-resident Indians (NRIs) reportedly traveled to Pakistan under her facilitation. Authorities allege that Shehzad used the pilgrimage as a cover, charging exorbitant amounts from travellers and channeling the funds to support propaganda and covert activities.

Madam N is also accused of deploying several travel agents across major Indian cities—including New Delhi—to promote her services and identify new recruits. These agents, officials believe, were instrumental in expanding her influence and helping trap unsuspecting Indian citizens into the espionage network.

Further investigation is ongoing, and security agencies are working to dismantle what they describe as a “deep and deceptive” infiltration strategy orchestrated by Pakistan’s ISI using religious tourism as a front.

Jyoti Malhotra Espionage Case

In a major national security scare, Hisar-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra was arrested on 17 May 2025, for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Accused of sharing sensitive information via encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, Malhotra had visited Pakistan multiple times and reportedly maintained contact with Pakistani intelligence officials. She allegedly met ISI operatives during her trips, including a man named Danish (Ahsan-ur-Rahim) and Ali Ahsan, who introduced her to security personnel.

Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Desi-Indo-Joe, had been allegedly using her online influence to promote pro-Pakistan narratives. Her connections to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and plans to travel to Bangladesh have deepened suspicions, particularly after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26. A viral video showing her in Lahore under tight security and her association with a man spotted at the Pakistan High Commission post-attack have raised serious alarms.

Investigators seized her gadgets and are probing links to recent military operations like Operation Sindoor. She is being interrogated by the NIA and IB. Despite denying wrongdoing, Malhotra faces charges under the Official Secrets Act. Her case highlights rising concerns over digital influence, cross-border propaganda, and espionage.

(With inputs from OpIndia)

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]]> YouTuber Dhruv Rathee Calls UP Govt’s Initiative To Engage SM Influencers “Legalized Bribery”; Silent On Similar Initiatives By Cong/AAP Govts https://thecommunemag.com/up-social-media-influencers-policy/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 05:44:21 +0000 https://thecommunemag.com/?p=85151 The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, a new initiative aimed at regulating social media content and engaging influencers to promote state government programs. Drafted by the state’s information department and recently approved by the state cabinet, this policy mirrors similar efforts in Punjab, focusing on […]

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The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, a new initiative aimed at regulating social media content and engaging influencers to promote state government programs. Drafted by the state’s information department and recently approved by the state cabinet, this policy mirrors similar efforts in Punjab, focusing on leveraging the reach of social media influencers to enhance public awareness of government schemes and achievements.

Under this policy, influencers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X will be encouraged to create and share content that aligns with the government’s objectives. The state has appointed a digital agency, V-Form, to manage advertising and distribute videos, tweets, posts, and reels promoting the government’s welfare schemes.

The policy categorizes influencers into four groups based on their follower counts and sets out a structured payment model. Influencers will be compensated based on the platform and type of content they produce:

  • X, Facebook, Instagram: Influencers can earn up to ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, and ₹3 lakh per month, respectively.
  • YouTube: Payments vary depending on content type, with a cap of ₹8 lakh per month for video creators. Short film creators can earn up to ₹7 lakh, while podcast creators and other content producers can receive up to ₹6 lakh and ₹4 lakhs, respectively.

In addition to promoting government initiatives, the policy also imposes strict regulations on content deemed anti-national or defamatory. Posting such content can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment ranging from three years to life.

Dhruv Rathee Finds UP Govt Over Initiative Problematic

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, a well-known left-leaning commentator, criticized the new social media policy. He labelled it a “legalized bribe” that misuses taxpayer money. He claimed that paying influencers to promote government initiatives is unethical and amounts to bribery.

Rathee also called for public shaming of any influencer participating in this program, suggesting that accepting money from the government to promote its achievements compromises their integrity. Netizens questioned whether Rathee’s logic should also apply to traditional media outlets like newspapers and TV channels, which regularly run paid advertisements for government campaigns.

 

 

 

Interestingly, Rathee has not made similar criticisms of the Punjab government’s initiative in 2023, which also involved paying influencers to promote the state’s culture, heritage, and governance. The Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023, was designed to leverage social media influencers to narrate positive stories about Punjab and included a structured compensation model similar to Uttar Pradesh’s. The AAP-led Punjab government, in October 2023, launched an initiative to leverage social media influencers’ power to share the state’s ‘rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, and progressive governance initiatives’. The initiative was titled ‘Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023’.

The ‘Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023‘ aimed to ‘harness the storytelling prowess of social media influencers’ to narrate compelling stories about Punjab’s cultural diversity, historical heritage, and the progressive steps taken by the government. The policy categorized influencers based on their subscriber base across various social media platforms. The five distinct categories, as outlined in the policy, determined the compensation structure for influencers participating in this initiative. Surprisingly, it is very similar to the one proposed by the UP government.

  • Category A: Influencers with more than one million subscribers are eligible for a maximum compensation of ₹8 lakh per campaign.
  • Category B: Influencers with a subscriber base between five lakhs to one million can earn up to ₹5 lakhs per campaign.
  • Category C: For those with one lakh to five lakh subscribers, the compensation is capped at ₹3 lakh per campaign.
  • Category D: Influencers with a following between 50,000 to one lakh are also eligible for up to ₹3 lakh per campaign.
  • Category E: Those with 10,000 to 50,000 subscribers can similarly earn up to ₹3 lakh per campaign.

Similar campaigns were put forth by the Rajasthan Congress government in 2023 and more recently the Karnataka Congress government as well in 2024. 

Rathee’s silence on Punjab’s initiative has once again raised questions about his integrity and his double standards in his selective outrage. While Rathee has been vocal against the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government’s use of influencers, his lack of commentary on the AAP-led Punjab government or the then Congress-led Rajasthan government, or the Congress-led Karnataka government’s similar approaches shows his blatant bias.

Once more, Rathee’s bias against the ruling BJP comes to the fore. He seems to have his lips sealed when someone from parties other than the BJP would have done similar things. If hypocrisy had a face, it would look like Dhruv Rathee.

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