In the absence of motorable roads in Bhutan in 1958, PM Nehru rode on an animal to visit the country. What animal was it? #KnowYourLegacy
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 4, 2017
The Indian National Congress left Twitter users baffled on Monday after repeating a poll it had deleted the previous day amidst derisive replies from supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party on the social media platform.
In a multiple-choice question, the party asked its supporters - 'In the absence of motorable roads in Bhutan in 1958, PM Nehru rode on an animal to visit the country. What animal was it?
The options provided were 'Horse', 'Yak', 'Elephant' and 'Donkey'. The poll attracted over 19,000 votes.
Almost two-thirds respondents to the poll picked donkey as the right answer.
The correct answer is 'Yak'. In 1958 Jawaharlal Nehru rode to Bhutan on the back of a yak looking to forge a friendship between the two countries. His visit was in the backdrop of China looking to claim some parts of Bhutanese territory.
While some replied earnestly others mocked the party for providing 'donkey' as an option.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Rides Yak During Visit to Bhutan in Himalayas - 1958 ! pic.twitter.com/yjdlXXPFNv
— विनोद तापड़िया 🇮🇳 (@VinodTaparia1) September 4, 2017
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once?
Same poll up again even after overwhelming response for choosing 'donkey'? Lol
— Amrita Bhinder (@amritabhinder) September 4, 2017
The BJP and its supporters were quick to attack the party over the tweet on Sunday. Subsequently forcing INC to delete the poll.
Why @OfficeOfRG deleted this poll ? pic.twitter.com/Xwk6Osivv6
— Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) September 3, 2017
And while India's grand old party retreated on Sunday it put up a somewhat bizarre fight on Monday. Sample this tweet from Uttarakhand Congress. The thread soon became a free-for all troll fest.
"A picture is worth a thousand words"
Bhakts see Before comment Who is riding on ..
एक तस्वीर एक हजार शब्दों के बराबर होती है,
कौन सवारी .. pic.twitter.com/e00fjMyurJ
— Uttarakhand Congress (@INCUttarakhand) September 4, 2017
The photograph from March 2014 is when then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi rode a pony during his visit to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.
Nearly every political party in India is playing catch-up with the BJP when it comes to leveraging social media.
On the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, the Congress posted a cheeky quiz taking aim at VD Savarkar, whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP hold in high esteem.
Which Hindu Mahasabha leader wrote the letter “Stick to your posts” advising its
members to boycott the Quit India movement? #KnowYourLegacy
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 8, 2017
While that quiz was a direct hit, the current one seems to have backfired.