BJP’s online poll backfires: Majority say Congress won’t reimpose emergency if voted back to power
New Delhi: An online poll conducted by the BJP on its official X handle (@BJP4India) appears to have backfired, with over 70% of respondents rejecting the idea that the Congress would reimpose Emergency if it returned to power. The poll, launched on June 25 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, aimed to stir public memory about the suspension of democratic rights in 1975.
The BJP, which frequently invokes the Emergency to target the Congress, might not have anticipated the outcome of its own poll. By Thursday afternoon, more than 23,000 people had voted, with 70.9% saying No, and only 29.1% agreeing that Congress would bring back Emergency.
The result raised eyebrows, especially considering the poll came from the verified handle of the BJP, which has a follower base of 23.2 million. Critics pointed to this as a rare moment of the ruling party's formidable IT cell appearing to be caught napping.
Beneath the poll, users flooded the replies with posts juxtaposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure with headlines on alleged threats to democracy, ranging from suppression of dissent, misuse of central agencies, media censorship, hate speech, and violence against marginalised communities.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at a press conference the same day, termed the BJP’s “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” campaign an attempt to distract from the “real Emergency” in the country, marked by rising authoritarianism, curbs on press freedom, and institutional erosion.
Later in the day, the Union Cabinet passed a resolution commemorating June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, stating that 50 years ago, India's democratic values were "subverted," and that the Emergency was a dark chapter where “federalism was undermined and fundamental rights suspended.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who first proposed observing June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas in 2024, spoke at an event in Delhi marking the day. He hailed Modi’s role in the anti-Emergency movement, describing how the young activist went underground, adopting various disguises including a sadhu and a newspaper vendor.
“Divine justice has taken place,” Shah said. “The same young man who fought Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship brought an end to dynastic politics in 2014.”
However, online reactions to the BJP's commemorative efforts were mixed, with many using the platform to highlight what they described as the current government's own failings in upholding democratic values.
While online polls are unofficial and often vulnerable to manipulation by bots or campaigners with pre-set agendas, the overwhelming response in this case suggests the BJP’s narrative may not be resonating as intended, at least not in the digital public square.
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Mercury plunges in Kashmir after brief respite, Shopian freezes at minus 6.4 deg C
Srinagar (PTI): Night temperatures in Kashmir dropped several degrees below the freezing point, even as a thick layer of fog engulfed parts of the valley, with Srinagar recording a low of minus 4.1 degrees Celsius, officials said on Saturday.
Shopian was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as the mercury there settled at a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, they said.
The mercury had on Thursday night settled above the freezing point at most places in the valley, providing huge relief to the residents from the biting cold conditions.
However, temperatures dropped across Kashmir on Friday night, bringing back the freezing cold, the officials said.
On the Friday night, the minimum temperature in Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- settled at minus 4.1 degrees Celsius, a sharp drop from 0.4 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.
The gateway town to the valley, Qazigund, recorded a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while the mercury settled at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius in north Kashmir's Kupwara, and minus 0.2 degrees Celsius in south Kashmir's Kokernag, the officials said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg lodged minus 2.6 degrees Celsius and Konibal town in Pulwama district recorded minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, they said.
The meteorological department said the weather would remain generally cloudy but dry on December 6-7, and a brief spell of light snowfall at isolated places in the higher reaches of north and central Kashmir is likely on December 8.
