The idea was to attract tech-savvy voters,but the hackers came calling even before the CPI(M) got a chance to launch its maiden dedicated poll campaign website on Wednesday. The uninvited guests,however,could not derail the plans and the CPI(M),which was once bitterly opposed to computerisation in the country on the plea that it would result in job losses,launched its website www.vote.cpim.org,the first Left party in India to host such a site. The website was hacked by unknown sources early on Wednesday. Sources said the problem was immediately rectified. Party insiders said there had been attempts to hack the official website of the party several times before and some of them even originated from Israel. Sources said around 100 Internet Protocol addresses have been barred by the website administrator after the incident. By launching the website,the party primarily hopes to tap the net-savvy youngsters. Around 54 per cent of Indias population is below 25 years and this segment is increasingly using the cyberspace. Our objective is to reach out to this segment, senior Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said while launching the website. But,how will the party which had opposed computerisation of banks in the early 1980s bat for Internet usage now? We never opposed the technology. We only opposed job losses due to computerisation. We were opposed to unemployment generated by computerisation, he said,adding that adapting to newer technologies which can be utilised for the welfare of the people was an integral part of Communism. The site,seen as the partys counter to the BJPs prime ministerial candidate L K Advanis website,will have all campaign-related material including the party manifesto and election speeches. It will also have audio-visual content relating to rallies and speeches by party leaders and an interactive section.
