The survey found Modi as the best Prime Minister of India, Amit Shah as the best Minister in current Cabinet and Yogi Adityanath as the best Chief Minister
Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The Congress has criticised news channel India Today’s poll over how people in the country feel about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in comparison with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
India Today Group-Karvy Insights Ltd conducted an online survey called ‘Mood of the Nation (MOTN)’ asking people to respond to the questions about the popularity and performance of Modi and his government. The survey found Modi way ahead on all counts, triggering a sharp reaction from the Congress.
Who do you think is best suited to be the next PM of India? #MOTN2020
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 9, 2020
Sensing a bias in the survey, the Chattisgarh wing of the party posted a tweet “Mood of the “India Today” [TV Channel] is not mood of the India [country] today.”
Mood of “India Today” is not mood of India today.
— INC Chhattisgarh (@INCChhattisgarh) August 10, 2020
The survey found Modi as the best Prime Minister of India, Amit Shah as the best minister in the current cabinet and Yogi Adityanath as the best Chief Minister. The trio has the image of hard-line Hindu nationalists who their supporters hope will lead India to a Hindu Rashtra.
Congress leader Pawan Khera pointed out the collusion between the BJP and media channels that help in generating a favourable public opinion. Appearing on a news show of the channel, Khera said that there was no doubt that Modi was good at headline management, event management, misinformation and peddling disinformation in news.
“He [Modi] has done very successfully, no doubt about that and how do you counter misinformation, yes, we need to understand that.” Khera said, “No opposition party can counter the level of resource mobilization this regime does.”
Anchor Rahul Kanwal tried to counter Khera accusing him of seeing “voters and people of India as fools”.
Khera asked Kanwal that his criticism was directed at Modi. “I am not criticising you, Rahul. Please don’t take it personally.” Khera said he had every right to comment on journalism. “Media is trying to make fools out of this country. Some of them are right here”.
On August 9, Khera wrote a tweet explaining the slant in India Today’s MOTN poll. The tweet accompanied by screenshots of the poll said the question on Rahul Gandhi had only one positive option while there was no ‘bad’ option for the poll about Modi. “That’s one example of perception management by the regime – aided & abetted by the media.”
The question about @RahulGandhi, gives just one positive option.
The question about @narendramodi, does not have ‘Bad’ as an option.
That’s one example of perception management by the regime – aided & abetted by the media. #MoodOfTheNation @IndiaToday pic.twitter.com/Tqh10S6kPK— Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) August 9, 2020
Meanwhile, noted RTI activist Saket Gokhale conducted a Twitter poll over anchor Kanwal. With a touch of sarcasm, Gokhale asked people to tell who does Rahul Kanwal work for? His options were interesting: Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Can’t Say.
Of the 37,463 who took part in the polling, 62.3% people named Narendra Modi.
Who does Rahul Kanwal work for?#MoodOfTheNation poll.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) August 8, 2020
He raised questions over the way India Today conducted the MOTN poll. He said his poll on Kanwal had a bigger sample size than India Today’s poll. “Time we called out the prime time bulls**t of these BJP agents.”
In a separate tweet, Gokhale alleged that the results of the India Today’s poll indicated the BJP was working with banned Chinese tech companies who ran disinformation campaigns through bots.
China has a thriving industry of bot farms.
On 11 June, Twitter took down 1.5 lakh Chinese bots used for disinformation campaigns.
BJP used banned Chinese IT companies last year for its election campaign.
The India Today poll voting shows that they still work with them.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) August 10, 2020
