Congress Criticizes PM Modi Over Electoral Bonds Using X Alt Text
The Indian National Congress took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over electoral bonds by utilizing a lesser-known feature of the platform X. This move comes in alignment with statements made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who accused PM Modi of operating an “extortion racket.” While the initial post from Congress appeared as a mere image of a downward arrow without any accompanying caption, the true message behind the post was unveiled when users clicked on its ‘Alt Text’ feature.
Many users were initially puzzled by Congress’s post, as they did not realize the significance of clicking on the relatively less-utilized ‘Alt Text’ feature. However, upon further examination, the true intent of the post became apparent. Rahul Gandhi alleged that funds accumulated through the now-defunct electoral bonds scheme were utilized to manipulate and divide political parties such as the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra. He further accused PM Modi and the BJP of orchestrating the downfall of opposition governments.
During a media interaction in Thane as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi expressed his belief that the opaque electoral bonds system was designed to favor the ruling party. He asserted that the electoral bonds scheme served as a means of extorting money from India’s largest corporations and channeling funds towards the BJP. Gandhi labeled the electoral bonds system as the “world’s biggest corruption scam” and an “extortion racket” orchestrated by the Prime Minister of India.
Launched in 2017, electoral bonds allowed individuals and corporate entities to contribute unrestricted funds to political parties anonymously. These bonds, which were part of the electoral bond scheme, could be purchased from the State Bank of India in predetermined denominations and presented to any political party for encashment. Importantly, the recipient political parties were not required to disclose the identity of the donors, even to the Election Commission of India.
Returning to the tweet by the Congress party, it’s essential to understand the concept of ‘Alt Text’ and its usage. ‘Alt’ stands for alternative text, which serves as a description of images. The ‘Alt’ badge on images indicates that a description has been added. This feature is primarily aimed at making X more accessible to individuals with disabilities, providing them with additional context about the images.
Users can add ‘Alt Text’ to images in four simple steps: uploading the image, selecting ‘Add description,’ entering a description within the 1,000-character limit, saving the description, and posting the image. Once the ‘Alt Text’ is added, an ‘Alt’ badge appears on the image, allowing users to access the description by selecting it.
In summary, Congress’s utilization of the ‘Alt Text’ feature on X underscores the platform’s potential for conveying meaningful messages and raising awareness about important issues. By leveraging this feature, users can provide valuable context to their images, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.
