DIGITAL ACTIVISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA: A CORPUS ANALYSIS OF #CHAKKAJAM TWEETS DURING FARMERS' PROTEST IN INDIA

This paper presents a unique examination of the role of hashtags in digital activism, with a specific focus on the #ChakkaJam hashtag used during the farmers' protest in India. Analysing a corpus of tweets uncovers how hashtags like #ChakkaJam are vital tools for connecting users with shared interests and goals on Twitter. These hashtags act as digital signposts, consolidating information,enhancing discoverability, and promoting user interaction and engagement. The #ChakkaJam hashtag, in particular, facilitated a continuous flow of updates, opinions, and calls to action, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. It also extended the movement's reach beyond immediate networks, supported the formation of sub-communities, and bolstered the overall effectiveness of the protest. Notably, prominent media houses and social media influencers played a significant role in amplifying the hashtag's impact, leveraging their offline presence to set the agenda in the digital space. This analysis underscores hashtags' syntactic simplicity, semantic richness, and pragmatic effectiveness. It highlights their crucial role in contemporary social movements where digital and physical realms intersect to shape public discourse and mobilise action. Keywords: #ChakkaJam, Farmers’ protest, India, Farm Laws, Social Media, Social activism, Socialmovements, Twitter, Collective Action Theory, Olson, Hashtag activism, Hashtags.